A CARPENTER renovating a Bewdley house thought he was going to die when two drunken men burst in and beat him up with a variety of weapons.

David Hughes was left with marks all over his body after being bitten, kicked, punched and hit with items including a hammer, crowbar and hacksaw.

Evelyn Bugeja, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court that Mr Hughes fought for his life during the frenzied attack in Dog Lane.

His attackers, Vincent Verdi and his nephew Leroy Stallard, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm. They denied attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm and aggravated burglary and not guilty pleas were entered.

Verdi, aged 33, of Millgrove Court, Park Lane, Kidderminster, was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to Mr Hughes.

He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work for the community and was made the subject of a 12-month community rehabilitation order.

Detention

Stallard, aged 20, of Lyndhurst Drive, Kidderminster, also admitted a burglary in Drake Crescent, Kidderminster. He was sent to detention for 15 months.

Miss Bugeja said Verdi was arrested at the attack scene on June 21. Stallard was arrested at home a few days later.

The burglary was carried out when Stallard was on bail. He took a TV from a friend's house but his fingerprint was found on a window.

Richard Bond, defending, said Stallard had taken to drink after a road accident - which was not his fault - when two men died. In addition, his girlfriend and their young son had left him so he had "drowned his sorrows in the bottle."

Verdi, a father-of-three, had been shocked when shown photographs of Mr Hughes's injuries, said his barrister, Walter Bealby. He had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous to deal with his drink problem.

Judge Frank Chapman said Verdi had four convictions for violence in 10 years.