A DRUNKEN thug who attacked a pensioner with a pool cue and left him bleeding on the floor has been jailed.

Burnley Crown Court heard how grandfather John Hill, 68, was left needing nine staples to a head wound following the "unprovoked attack" by William Rooney at the Sydney Street Working Men's Club in Accrington.

The court was shown CCTV footage of 29-year-old Rooney examining a number cues in a rack for several minutes and then assembling his chosen weapon before hitting Mr Hill to the back of the head.

Prosecutor Paul Brookwell described how there was a short scuffle as Rooney, of Somerset Close, Church, was restrained by Mr Hill's friends.

The court heard Mr Hill was still lying on the floor next to the snooker table covered in blood when police arrived.

Mr Brookwell said: "Mr Hill can not recall anything about the blow itself. He does refer to attending the premises and he recalls a conversation with the defendant when he was playing snooker on that table a lot earlier in the night.

"In order to to take a shot he asked the defendant if he could move out of the way. If appears that may have caused some discontent.

"A little later on Mr Hill went to shake the hand of the defendant. As for the motivation for the attack as far as the Crown is concerned, that is it. It appears to be largely unprovoked."

Following the attack on August 27, Mr Hill suffered a large wound to his head. In a victim impact statement Mr Hill told the court how he had avoided seeing his grandchildren after the attack because of his fear of their reaction to a permanent dent to the head he had been left with.

He also has permanent hearing loss and wouldn't leave the house for several weeks because of initial bruising and loss of confidence.

Mr Brookwell said: "The defendant admitted the offence in his police interview. He said it was due to Mr Hill acting in a manner which he thought was intimidating towards him. He didn't recall the disagreement over the snooker shot or the shaking of the hand."

Defending, Isobel Thomas said her client had turned to alcohol after the breakdown of his nine-year marriage and that was a major contributing factor in the incident.

Ms Thomas said: "There is nothing that can excuse what he has done. He said it should never have happened. He said in effect it was an incredibly stupid mistake in drink.

"Mr Rooney has two children and three step children. The children know they won't be seeing their father for some time and his concern is the impact it will have on them."

Rooney, who has nine convictions for 13 offences, admitted a single charge of wounding with intent. He was jailed for four years and four months.

Judge Jonathan Gibson said: "This was a very serious offence."