THE battered wife of an Army veteran last night demanded more action to help the Forces after her husband appeared in court over a drunken attack.

David Adams was spared jail after a judge heard how he has been mentally scarred by his tours of duty yet has received no psychiatric treatment.

Adams, 51, from North Yorkshire, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder since his 25-year military career came to an end four years ago.

Doctors believe his 18-hour street patrols in Iraq and witnessing a bus full of children blown apart contributed to his mental illness.

In 2004, Adams caused £35,000 of damage when he smashed up the family home in Bedale, and a year later he assaulted his wife, Linda, for the first time.

He appeared at Teesside Crown Court to be sentenced yesterday for attacking his 53-year-old wife again in April and breaching a restraining order not to approach her.

Judge Tony Briggs imposed a two-year community order with supervision and unpaid work, and ordered Adams to undergo psychological treatment.

His forgiving wife said she hoped the long-awaited medical help would work, and called for improved treatment for soldiers returning from the frontline.

She said career soldiers such as her husband – a veteran of three tours to the Falklands, Canada, Northern Ireland and two to Iraq – were abandoned after their service ended.

“It was in 2004 after a tour of Iraq that Dave was different,” she said. “Dave went to Iraq my husband, but sure as hell didn’t come back my husband. He had changed.”

Rod Hunt, mitigating, said: “It seems Mr Adams slipped through the net.

When he handed back his uniform and rifle, that was it.

“When he started to break down, as he clearly has, there seems to have been no immediate help for him, and by the time it came, it was too late.”

Mrs Adams said afterwards: “The Army and the Government need to realise that there is a problem, and if they don’t, they want to come and have a chat with me.

“There are many people out there who are going through the same thing.”

A spokesman for the MoD said last night: “We offer a whole range of support services to former soldiers who may be suffering from metal health problems.”