A SON who beat his father and stamped on his head in an apparent revenge attack has been spared jail.

Jason Walton flew into a rage at Stephen Scott, who he blamed for being violent towards his mother.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Walton was estranged from his 48-year-old father and had no contact with him for 20 years.

Sean Dodds, prosecuting, said Walton approached Mr Scott after he saw him in a pub, and punched him twice in the face. He was ejected, but saw his father leaving and punched him in the chest, causing him to fall.

One witness said that as Mr Scott lay motionless, Walton stamped three or four times on his head with force.

Mr Scott suffered a fractured bone in his face, bruising and cuts and was told by doctors that a loss of feeling he suffered from could last up to six years.

Walton, 25, of Hambleton Road, Coundon, County Dur-ham, who admitted unlawful wounding, was arrested and told police he had suffered an unhappy childhood, and said: "I wanted him to suffer like he made my mam suffer, but that was no excuse for what I did."

He admitted the assault, but could not remember stamping on his father's head, having been drinking.

Peter Sabiston, for Walton, said the attack was an aberration for which he was sorry.

Judge Michael Taylor said such violence would usually result in prison, but said he took into account exceptional circumstances.

Walton was given an 18-month jail sentence, suspended for two years.