A Teignmouth man who battered a neighbour with a wooden skittle causing him wounds which needed stitches has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Judge Jeremy Griggs told Kevin White: 'This was a frenzied attack which could have had much more serious consequences both for the victim and for you.'
Exeter Crown Court heard 32-year- old White launched the attack on Jason Dart, believing he was responsible for damaging a door at his girl friend‚s premises.
Mr Dart was beaten to the ground in the attack which happened just as he was going into his flat in Fraser Drive, Teignmouth.
The court heard he was felled to the ground and lay curled up in a ball to try and protect himself from the assault.
The late-night incident was only brought to a halt when a friend who was with Mr Dart shouted out that the police were coming.
White then ran off throwing away the skittle which was later recovered from a nearby garden.
White of Fraser Drive, Teignmouth pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary.
Mitigting, Tom Bradnock said White's girlfriend had been upset about her door being broken down allegedly by Dart and it was this that led him to go and conf ont the victim.
The court heard White had some 36 previous convictions and Judge Griggs said he had a chequered criminal career and needed to address his anger problem.
In addition to the prison term the judge ordered White to be subject to an extended licence period of two-and-a-half years when he is released.
His brother, 42-year-old Brian White, had faced a similar charge but he was acquitted by a jury at a trial last month.