A DRUNKEN 'animal' battered his elderly grandparents - breaking the spine of a 96-year-old World War Two veteran and beating up his bedridden wife who suffered from dementia and has since died.

Richard Davies's attack on his grandfather was so savage he broke his back, repeatedly kicking him as he lay helpless on the floor of his own home after the elderly veteran tried to fight back in defence of himself and his wife, punching his grandson in the nose and making it bleed.

His grandmother has since died following the attacks on February 23 and 23 this year at their Leominster bungalow. His grandfather described Davies as 'like a mad animal' and a 'raging bull' when he drank but was a 'good boy' when he was not drinking.

The 49-year-old defendant of Ryelands Road, Leominster, admitted one count of section 20 wounding (without intent) against his grandfather, a Royal Navy veteran who was involved in the sinking of the Bismarck during the Second World War.

The thug further admitted actual bodily harm against his bedridden grandmother and two further battery offences against his elderly grandparents who had been married for 72 years.

The family of the victim said the attacks had 'destroyed' him and how the proud man, a good father and provider, broke down in tears because he was not able to defend himself and his wife from the onslaught. She has since died, her family describing how she gave up when she was told she could never return to her home.

Richard McConaghy, prosecuting, said the defendant's grandfather, now 97, had been 96 at the time of the attacks and his wife was 90.

The attacks all took place in the couple's Leominster bungalow where the defendant had been allowed to stay, helping them with shopping and taking them to hospital appointments although the Army veteran did have his own flat in the town.

In the words of the defendant's grandfather 'when he hadn't had a drink he was a good boy but if he had a drink he would go insane'.

On February 22 Davies borrowed his grandfather's car to go to the shops and buy alcohol. When he returned he disappeared into the bathroom for 10 minutes before he came into his grandparents's bedroom 'obviously drunk'. "He was swearing and cursing. He punched his grandmother twice to the head," said the prosecutor.

She told him to stop and his grandfather put his hands up to try to protect his wife. Davies grabbed his grandfather's arm and squeezed it. Later the defendant denied being responsible but then said he was sorry for what he had done. However, the next day he attacked both of them again.

"He was described by his grandfather as being like a raging bull. He said he was 'out of his mind'" said Mr McConaghy.

Again Davies started attacking his grandmother, telling the about things that had happened to him in the Army and that it was his late mum who was making him attack them. His grandfather managed to punch Davies in the nose, causing it to bleed. But the elderly man fell to the floor when the defendant kicked him up to 12 times in the back, breaking one of his vertebrae.

Remarkably, when Davies was asked to stop the attack and make a cup of tea he did so. However, he returned with a kitchen knife and threatened to kill himself. When he was told to go and make a mess of his own flat instead of their home he threatened to kill them instead, the prosecutor told the court.

His grandmother ultimately called 999 to report the attacks. His grandfather suffered two haematomas to his scalp and a fracture of a vertebrae.

An impact statement from the daughter of the two victims said it was 'heart-wrenching' to see her dad, a proud man who did not normally cry, break down in tears when he explained his frustration at not being able to defend his wife or himself.

"He described Richard as insane, being like a mad animal" she said.

She added: "My father had been a wonderful husband, father and provider."

Going on describe his record with the Royal Navy, she said: "Richard has literally killed his spirit. This has destroyed him. As a family we will never forgive Richard."

When her grandmother was told she would no longer be going home from the bungalow the family said she 'started to give up', passing away on April 19 this year.

Because of Covid-19 she was not able to be with her mum. "The impact on my dad was just catastrophic" she added.

Judge Martin Jackson, who said it was to the victim's credit he fought back and punched his grandson in the nose, jailed Davies for three years and three months. A restraining order prohibits him from having any contact, directly or indirectly with his grandfather.