A NOTORIOUS repeat offender who punched an elderly man to the ground, breaking his jaw, has been placed behind bars.

Billy Perks, 22, of Tattenhall Lane, Beeston, attacked Philip Leech as he tried to defend his home, punching him in the face and threatening to kill him.

Appearing before Chester Crown Court, Perks, of Tattenhall Lane, Beeston, was sentenced to a total of 19 months behind bars after a jury found him guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm during a trial earlier this year.

The court heard how on the evening of July 17 last year Perks went to Mr Leech’s home on Huxley Lane, Tarporley, to meet two men but assaulted the elderly home owner after he came out of his house and asked Perks to leave his land.

After an exchange of words Perks punched Mr Leech in the side of his face, breaking his jaw and knocking him to the ground.

Prosecuting Myles Wilson said that Perks, who also pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine at the time of his arrest, had a long list of convictions to his name, including aggregated vehicle taking, theft, assault, possession of class A drugs, disorderly conduct, excess alcohol and resisting a police officer.

During the trial the jury heard how Perks had originally claimed he had gone to Asda in Winsford at the time of the offence with his then girlfriend. He changed his story under cross-examination when told Asda had been closed since 4pm on that day, Sunday, July 17 last year, instead insisting he went to a Spar store.

At the time, Perks – a fencer – was on the last day of a curfew monitored with an electronic tag which only confirmed he was back at his designated address in Little Budworth three minutes after his curfew began, at 9.03pm.

Mr Leech, who has known Perks for most of his life, told the court Perks had threatened to kill him and after an exchange of words, he had been punched in the side of his face.

And at 2.30am the next day, there was another confrontation when two youths hurled abuse and threw glass bottles at the house.

Defending Peter Moss said Perks was extremely hard working and wanted to stay out of jail and ‘keep his nose clean’ after starting up a business to rival his father’s and moving away from the area where most of his previous convictions had taken place.

Sentencing Perks to 18 months custody for inflicting grievous bodily harm and six weeks for breaching a suspended sentence Judge David Hale described Perks as an ‘unusual young man’, who was hard working and had set up his own business but was unable to comply with the law.

“It was a totally uncalled for attack. He is an old man and was not expecting any sort of provocation or violence from you because he knows you, and yet you hit him so hard you broke his jaw,” said Judge Hale.

“You have lied like a trooper since your arrest and you have no remorse. I have no option but to sentence you to a custodial sentence.”