AN amphetamine addict who attacked a friend with a hammer as he lay in bed has been jailed for 21 months.

Angry Michael Hunter attacked his friend Mark Fisher as he lay asleep at his home in Back Beacon Street, Birkby.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that 39-year-old Hunter was demanding to know where Mr Fisher’s house mate was and then began hitting his lower leg with the flat end of the claw hammer.

Prosecutor Kirstie Watson described how Hunter turned away at one point but then charged back towards Mr Fisher and stuck him on the leg this time using the claw end of the weapon.

Hunter left the bedroom and his victim was eventually taken to hospital where he had stitches put in the wounds to legs.

Hunter, of no fixed abode, was arrested the day after the attack last September and was found to be in possession of a small amount of amphetamine.

The court heard that in 2003 Hunter had been jailed for 33 months for attacking a man with a hacksaw.

Hunter, who had more than 80 offences on his criminal record, had spent some time in a medium-secure mental health unit.

Hunter’s barrister Alisdair Campbell said his client’s drugs misuse had caused problems for him and he suggested that difficulties with accommodation led to the defendant relapsing into amphetamine abuse.

Hunter admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Fisher and possessing the amphetamine for his own use.

Recorder Richard Mansell QC said amphetamine had clearly affected Hunter’s mental health, but he highlighted the fact that he had been responsible for two unprovoked attacks using weapons.

The judge said he was quite sure that the acts of violence were brought about by Hunter’s addiction to amphetamine, but he accepted that he had picked up the hammer at the house and it had not been a premeditated attack on his friend.