A MAN battered his wheelchair-bound “friend” about the head with an electric fan after he had been asked to move out of the victim’s home.

Blackburn magistrates heard the victim fell to the floor trying to protect himself as his head was stamped on three or four times.

Andrew Jackson, 32, of Barnes Avenue, Rawtenstall, pleaded guilty to assaulting Thomas Smalley. He was sentenced to 17 weeks in prison and ordered to pay £115 victim surcharge.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said Jackson had been living at Mr Smalley’s home for a few weeks.

In the days before the incident they had been drinking beer in the warm weather and there had been a dispute when some cans which had been hung on the back of Mr Smalley’s wheelchair disappeared.

“Shortly before the incident they were listening to music and the issue of the lost beer from the day before came up,” said Mrs White. “Mr Smalley told Jackson to leave his house and after a short discussion the defendant picked up a desk fan and started hitting the other man about the head with it.”

She said the attack stopped as suddenly as it had started and Jackson left the house.

“Mr Smalley realised he was bleeding heavily from a wound to the back of his head,” said Mrs White. “He said he was very upset by what had happened because the other man was meant to be his friend.”

Ben Leech, defending, said both men had been drinking heavily and became embroiled in an argument.

“When he was asked to leave he was angry because he had paid £140 to the aggrieved a few days earlier,” said Mr Leech.