A MAN who had irrational beliefs that he had been bullied at work launched an unprovoked attack in which he broke a man’s leg.

Defendant Robert Acton, 50, was jailed for 27 months at Mold Crown Court, where he had admitted a GBH charge.

Acton, 50, of Peulwys Estate in Old Colwyn, was also made the subject of a five year restraining order not to approach Keith Owen, a former colleague at the Iceland Store in Llandudno.

Judge Niclas Parry told him this afternoon that the attack in January was “cowardly and utterly irrational” after becoming obsessed with the idea that he had in some way been bullied at work.

He struck his victim from behind which was totally unexpected which caused him to fall to the floor where he was punched then kicked to the head.

“You then jumped on his leg and you broke it,” Judge Parry told him.

The defendant shouted and threatened to kill him, but somehow the victim managed to get to his feet.

But he was struck again which caused him to fall to the ground where he was struck again.

His right leg had been fractured and he developed a blood clot for which he had to inject himself daily for six weeks.

He suffered damage to his hand and suffered a loss of earnings.

Judge Parry said that it was a sustained assault which caused serious injuries.

The judge said he took into account that he was a good worker who had no previous convictions but the offence was so serious that it had to be immediate custody.

He warned that the starting point in his case was one of three years with a range of two and a half years to four years.

Prosecuting barrister Sarah Badrawy said that Mr Owen was a driver at Iceland and the defendant also worked for the company.

In January Mr Owen was alone in the rear yard where the attack took place.

His leg was in a cast for seven weeks and in a brace for a further eight weeks.

Owen Edwards, defending, said that his client appreciated that it was a serious matter but said if the sentence could be suspended the defendant could continue to work at a Llandudno hotel, and could pay compensation to the victim and continue to support his family.

References showed that there was another side to him.

The defendant had been bullied as a young man, had remained out of trouble, but had become fixated with the belief that he was being bullied at work after he had been asked to clean a toilet.

He had issues which could be addressed with the assistance of the probation service, said Mr Owen.