A CRICKET-WIDOW who battered her 76-year-old husband with a rolling pin after claiming years of neglect has been spared jail.

Jean Crossland, also 76, was furious at being ignored by her spouse of more than 50 years when she was looking to spending more time with him during their twilight years.

She finally snapped after John, a former parish councillor and a prominent figure in Ryedale's cricketing and sporting circles, kept her waiting for two hours in their car at Morrison's car park during an appointment with his lawyer.

She swiped his glasses off his face and tried to grab the gearstick as they drove home to the bungalow they shared in Carr Lane, East Heslerton, near Malton, North Yorkshire. 

Mr Crossland went to police to complain about what had happened in the car, but was told it was a civil matter.

When he arrived home for supper, he found his wife waiting “in a rather foul mood” - rolling pin in hand. She started hurling insults at him after their meal, and attacked him as he lay in bed.

Mr Crossland told a court his wife slapped the pin with her palm - then started whacking him around the ankles. He continued: "I felt very intimidated.

"She insulted me, calling me various colours - yellow being the main one. She also called me 'little mouse' and said 'you're as bad as your father'."

The next day, the wife acted as though nothing had happened and asked her husband to peel some spuds, Scarborough magistrates heard.

But the following day, she lost her temper again and volleyed punches at Mr Crossland's head and body, giving him a black eye.

Mr Crossland called police who came to the bungalow and arrested Mrs Crossland.

She faced a six month prison sentence over the assaults but magistrates agreed with probation workers that the case was suitable for community punishment.

During a previous trial, Crossland accused her husband of causing the injuries himself following a history of domestic abuse - a claim he strongly denied.

She said that she had hoped to spend more time with her husband after he retired from his job as a cricket groundsman 12 years ago, but he “had not been around too much”, leaving her “a bit angered”.

A doctor said that while Mrs Crossland was in 'poor health', she was not suffering from dementia as had been suspected.

Mrs Crossland denied two counts of assault by beating and £30 criminal damage to her husband's mobile phone - but was convicted at a previous hearing. She maintained she always kept a rolling pin by her side in case they were burgled.

She was made the subject of a 20 day rehabilitation act requirement, meaning working with the probation service, as part of 12 month community order.

She was also ordered to pay £620 costs £60 surcharge.