A drunken man repeatedly punched his cousin, breaking his nose, after complaining he had been treated like a “Muppet”.
And a judge has warned Anthony Fuery that if he doesn’t change his ways it is only a matter of time before he destroys someone’s life.
Leeds Crown Court heard 35-year-old Fuery, of Weymouth Avenue, Oakes, had been out drinking in Cleckheaton with his cousin Ben Riley on Christmas Eve last year.
Louise Pryke, prosecuting, told the court on Thursday that during the evening there was an altercation between Fuery and a female in Wetherspoon, at which point Mr Riley suggested they should both leave.
They then went back to Mr Riley’s home where an argument began about the way Fuery felt he had been spoken to by his cousin.
He kept telling him: “You’re taking the p..s out of me chatting to me like a muppet.”
Mr Riley tried to calm him down but Fuery told him he was going to beat him up and started punching him repeatedly in the face. Mr Riley fell to the floor and when the punches continued “he thought the defendant was going to kill him”.
However, he did eventually manage to get to his feet and left the house, jumped a fence and began banging on neighbours' doors because he feared Fuery would follow him.
Miss Pryke said Mr Riley then saw two police officers in the street and told them what had happened. He was taken to hospital with black eyes and was found to have multiple fractures to his nose.
She said he still had nightmares about what had happened to him.
Peter Byrne, representing Fuery, said he had a poor record but had been showing signs of some maturity following his last release from custody and regretted his further incarceration.
Following his remand on the current offence he had made progress in jail and was now trusted to help new inmates and a prison officer had written to the court supporting his attitude. His former employer also indicated he was willing to continue offering him work.
Fuery admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and was jailed for 14 months.
Recorder Toby Wynn said while it appeared Fuery was “in the process of transition”, becoming more mature, and there was an impressive letter from the prison officer, he could not impose a suspended sentence.
He said his hands were tied because of the nature of the offence in which he battered his cousin in a ferocious assault.
“This was an utterly mindless attack.”
Recorder Wynn warned Fuery if he did not learn to control himself “it is only a matter of time before you destroy someone’s life”.
