A family row led to a 20-year-old man repeatedly striking another man with a bat leaving a broken arm painfully protruding from his arm.

The victim, Adam Henderson, also suffered a dislocated elbow in the attack in Wallasey and had to twice undergo surgery for his injuries.

His attacker, Ryan Morritt, the boyfriend of the victim’s step-daughter, had a suspended custodial sentence hanging over him at the time and he was today (Friday, November 1) put behind bars for a total of seven years.

Judge Garrett Byrne told him, “This was a very serious offence indeed.” He sentenced him to six years detention for inflicting grievous bodily harm and activated 12 months of the suspended sentence to run consequently.

Liverpool Crown Court heard he received the suspended sentence in June for attempted robbery and aggravated vehicle taking.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said that the latest incident, which Morritt admitted, happened at 4.30 pm on July 27 after Mr Henderson, a taxi driver, went to a squat in Agnes Grove, Liscard, where Morritt was living.

He found a number of weapons and grabbed them and put them in his nearby car. As he was standing by the vehicle at the junction of Withins Lane and Greenwood Lane a man appeared, apparently trying to bait him, and Morritt then ran at him.

“He had a large wooden item, similar to a bat, and swung it in the direction of Mr Henderson which struck his left arm and then struck his right arm as he tried to defend himself.”

The men ran off and the victim sat down in the beer garden of a nearby pub “and noticed a bone sticking out of left arm and decided to push it back in. Police officers arrived and he went to a local hospital.”

Mr Blasbery said it was discovered that he had a broken arm and dislocated elbow and had to undergo two operations during which metal pins and plates were inserted.

In an impact statement Mr Henderson told how he had been unable to work as a taxi driver because of his injuries and had needed physiotherapy. He had been in considerable pain and suffered side affects of medication he needed and has been suffering nightmares.

On August 15 Morritt voluntarily surrendered himself to Wirral Custody Suite. When interviewed he made no comment.

Rebecca Smith, defending, said that Morritt, who has six previous convictions for 11 offences, had been aware there may be a confrontation and he had believed that Mr Henderson had something in his hands which he might use against him.

“It was a very brief incident involving two quick strikes.”

She said that Morritt, who appeared via video link from prison, intends to use his time in custody wisely.