A THUG who launched a hammer attack on a vulnerable man has been spared a prison sentence.

Harry Langton struck Liam McKay repeatedly with a hammer and then went round to his Wrexham home and smashed a window.

But as Langton had served the equivalent of four months in custody while on remand, Judge Niclas Parry stepped back from imposing a custodial sentence. He suspended an eight-month sentence for 12 months and made Langton the subject of a residence order to live with inlaws at an address in Northop.

“The assault you carried out was inexcusable because it was so disproportionate to the argument you had about a very trivial matter,” said Judge Parry.

“He [the victim] thought you were going to kill him. He managed to make his way back home and found that you followed him and smashed a window.

“But you continue to suffer from mental health issues and that explains why you could have acted out of character.”

Langton, 21, now of Ffordd Gwynedd, Northop admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage on May 3.

Mr McKay went round to Langton’s flat to share some beer, but was accused of stealing some Valium.

In the attack, the victim suffered bruised and broken ribs as well as a lump to the back of his head.

But defence barrister James Coutts said: “He [Langton] is intent on changing his life around. One of his options is to go back to his home address [in Wrexham] but he says that was the root of his problems.”

The judge also imposed a 30-day rehabilitation requirement on Langton.