A 'DANGEROUS' man struck his neighbour on the head seven times with a hammer and broke a broom over him during a bloody attack.

Richard Willis was deemed a danger to the public by a judge and handed an extended prison sentence at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday.

The 'sustained' assault left neighbour Paul Hart, who lives in the same housing complex as his attacker, with two bloody 10p sized holes in his head.

The 54-year-old defendant of Goodson Road, Malvern, who had previously attacked someone with a hammer, admitted wounding (section 20) and possession of an offensive weapon following the attack at around 6.30pm on September 2 last year, captured on CCTV.

The attack was witnessed by a female support worker who heard raised voices, saw Willis holding the blood-stained hammer and blood coming from the top of Mr Hart's head before dialling 999.

Ian Ball, prosecuting, said: "She could see a small amount of blood on the hammer head. She could hear Mr Willis saying 'I'm going to hit you again with it'."

The support worker heard Mr Hart kept repeating to her: "You're a witness to it, he just attacked me with it."

Mr Hart was also heard to say to Willis: "You're going to go down for this!"

Willis was heard to reply: "I've been inside. So what? I will do it again."

The defendant then denied hitting Mr Hart to which the victim replied: "What do you call this then?"

Both men went inside their houses before the incident resumed around 45 seconds later, Willis threatening to hit Mr Hart again.

At one stage Willis hit Mr Hart with a broom which broke over his shoulder before jabbing at him with the broken end.

The CCTV was not played in court but the footage had been seen by the prosecution.

"The suspect appears to strike the victim on the head with the hammer before walking away" said Mr Ball.

The footage also shows the defendant returning and striking Mr Hart 'a further six times on the head with the hammer' who covers his head with his arms and falls to the floor.

A police officer said they could see 'two round, blood-filled holes on the top of Mr Hart's head, each about the size of a 10p piece'.

However, there was no fractures of the skull and no brain injury was reported.

Judge Nicholas Cole said: "Given the number of blows to the head it's surprising the injuries were not greater."

In a victim personal statement Mr Hart described suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, uncontrollable crying and 'extreme headaches' which ran from the top of his head down his face as well as scarring to his head.

"He doesn't feel safe, even in his own home" said Mr Ball.

Willis has 15 convictions for 26 offences on his record, including 11 offences of violence ranging from wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm to affray and battery.

However, Willis had never received an immediate custodial sentence, having been dealt with in the past by way of community orders and a hospital order.

In 2007 he was convicted of grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he drove his car at two people, injuring both of them during a 'road rage' incident.

In 2015 Willis, who has Asperger's Syndrome, was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon following an earlier hammer attack in 2014, an attack which resulted in a hospital order.

Jason Aris, defending, asked for a third discount in the length of any custodial sentence for his client whom he described as 'not unintelligent'.

Willis had achieved enhanced prisoner status and Mr Aris asked that his client be dealt with by way of a community disposal.

Mr Aris said: "The injuries would appear to be unpleasant but not life-changing."

He told the court there had been previous difficulties between the two men over 'noise and some nuisance type behaviour' although he added: "I don't say that to condone what happened."

Judge Nicholas Cole said any background between the two men did not justify striking him with a hammer.

"You did that seven times in total" he said. The judge told Willis, though there was no brain injury or fracture, 'that is more a matter of luck'.

"Fortunately the injuries were not life-threatening. They could easily have been so" he said.

The judge ruled that Willis was dangerous because he was satisfied there was a significant risk he would commit further such offences in future and, by doing so, cause serious harm to members of the public.

Imposing an extended sentence, the judge said the risk Wills posed could not be managed safely in the community.

The judge imposed an extended sentence of five years - two and a half years in custody and two and half years extended licence.

He must serve at least two thirds of the custodial element of his sentence before being considered for release by the Parole Board.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the hammer.

Time spent on remand will count towards his sentence.