A PARANOID father-of-three who “glassed” his friend because he failed to take his medicine and went binge-drinking, has avoided jail.

Curtis Turpin, 22, squeezed Anthony Metcalfe’s throat and demanded the victim’s wallet and phone, said Catherine Duffy, prosecuting at York Crown Court. Then another man, known only as “Dean”, hit Mr Metcalfe on the head with a claw hammer.

Mr Metcalfe tried to flee over a wall when Turpin went to the toilet, but was chased down and wrestled to the ground.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Metcalfe said that the attack had led to him becoming addicted to alcohol because he drank to cope with the after-effects.

But Turpin avoided an immediate trip to jail because he is on medication to control the paranoia that led to him wrongly accusing Mr Metcalfe of being a “grass”.

“You set about him in a mean and malicious way,” said Recorder Graeme Cook. “I am conscious that any period of immediate custody would cause you concern and might well affect your mental health.”

He suspended a 51-week prison sentence for two years on condition that Turpin does 180 hours’ unpaid work. Turpin is already on a community order that includes supervision by the probation service. Turpin, of Sandcroft Road, Dringhouses, pleaded guilty to wounding.

Ruth Cranidge, for Turpin, said that both men had drunk three litres of cider on the day of the attack. The alcohol, combined with the fact that Turpin had not taken the medicine that controlled his paranoia, had led to him behaving “out of character”. He had not had alcohol recently and had made “amazing” progress since the attack.

Miss Duffy said Mr Metcalfe, who was attacked in his own home, suffered injuries to his head including cuts and bruises.