A 61-YEAR-OLD alcoholic who set about his best friend with a hammer and almost killed him after a fall-out over a funeral has been locked up for four and a half years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how stressed and emotional John Johnston attacked Joseph Loseley after turning up at his home early the next day.

Johnston, already upset, was said to have been even more distressed after the victim, his lifelong friend, had taken pictures of the coffin at the funeral of the defendant’s former girlfriend of 13 years.

He struck the victim twice and then rang his sister, telling her he had ‘killed Joseph’.

A friend who went to the victim’s home was let in by Johnston and found the victim lying on the floor, covered in blood.

He was taken to hospital, where he was in intensive care for four days.

The victim, 60, had suffered a smashed jaw, two gashes to his head and other injuries.

Johnston, an alcoholic for 10 years or more and said to have been drinking 300 units of alcohol a week before the assault, told police: “I’m going to tell the truth.

"I did it. I hit Joseph twice on the head with a hammer to teach him a lesson.”

A claw-hammer was next to him on the sofa. He made no comment when questioned.

Johnston, of Limefield Avenue, Brierfield, admitted wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, last August.

David Macro, prosecuting, said Johnston and his victim grew up together in Belfast.

The two men exchanged pleasantries at the funeral but the victim was said to have refused to shake Johnston’s hand at the church service.

Mark Stuart, for Johnston, said he knew custody was inevitable and that it was fortunate the injuries were not worse.

Judge Simon Newell told Johnston: “What you did was not only highly dangerous, it was nearly fatal.

"You thought you had killed him. You rang your sister and said you thought you had killed him.”