A thug attacked his mother’s neighbour after an ‘argument’, a court heard.

Jamie Birtwistle, 29, of Clement Street, Accrington, grabbed Julie Hardie by the neck and ‘tried to ram her head into a window’ leaving her ‘shaken and bruised’.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the incident happened the day after Miss Hardie and Birtwistle’s mum had been involved in an argument at his mum’s home.

Birtwistle, who has 16 convictions for 23 previous offences including offences of battery, pleaded guilty to common assault.

He was given a three-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and pay £100 compensation.

Sara Dodd, prosecuting, told the court how the argument happened on October 5 last year when Miss Hardie ‘felt compelled’ to attend Birtwistle’s mother’s home and police were called to ‘calm matters down’.

Miss Dodd said Birtwistle went round to Miss Hardie’s home ‘shouting and swearing’ and when she opened the door he ‘grabbed hold of her and pulled her towards him’.

Miss Dodd said: “She pushed him away and as a result they both fell over. Mr Birtwistle still had hold of Miss Hardie and so she punched him. He then grabbed her by the neck and was trying to ram her head into a window.

“Miss Hardie was then able to get back into the house. Two neighbours who were witnesses said it was Mr Birtwistle who was the main aggressor.”

A victim impact statement from Miss Hardie told how the incident had ‘affected her greatly’ causing aches and pains in her back and hips and had ‘put a strain on her relationship’ with the rest of her neighbours.

Graham Robinson, defending, said Birtwistle’s criminal history was a ‘substantial aggravating factor’ but he had done very well on a community order and had ‘addressed his drug use and reduce his alcohol intake’.

Judge Jonathan Gibson said Birtwistle had a ‘record of previous convictions for similar offences’.

Sentencing, he said: “You appeared to have been under the influence of at least alcohol at the time.

“You left that lady shaken and bruised.

“You have done well in relation to your existing community order. It’s really only that which has saved you from an immediate custodial sentence.”