A judge has hit out at the delay “scandal” and “lame” excuses of police who took eleven months to charge a man for a hammer attack on a father and son.

Judge Huw Rees at Caernarfon crown court jailed John Milburn, 21, of Maes Gwelfor, Rhydwyn, Holyhead, Anglesey, for 32 months.

He’d at first denied wounding with intent and assault causing actual bodily harm in June 2017 before eventually pleading guilty.

There was a postal requisition in July 2018. Judge Rees said :”I have seen the excuses from the police. They are many, some of them are lame. This defendant was 19 at the time and it took the police almost a year to charge him with serious offences.

“The witnesses were all there. It’s a public scandal it’s taken eleven months.”

There was also delay which was the fault of Milburn, the judge accepted.

The court heard a rumpus happened at Rhosybol and the violence caused bleeding on the brain and a fracture to Michael Roberts who’d wanted Milburn to keep the noise down. He’d

spent just over a day in hospital.

Prosecutor Jo Maxwell said Mr Roberts and his wife had heard shouting outside their house late at night. Mr Roberts had knocked on the door at a neighbour’s home and Milburn was

there with a claw hammer.

He’d struck Mr Roberts to the back of the head and neck and to the thigh. The teenage son was hit on his shoulder.

Jonathan Austin, defending, said another man had threatened the defendant with a weapon – the case being dropped. Milburn’s car tyres had also been slashed.

The Robertses heard the rumpus.  Mr Austin said Milburn “very much regrets doing what he did.”

Judge Rees said it appeared Mr Roberts made a complete recovery. But the injuries had a significant effect on him including financially.

“This was a sustained and repeated assault,” the judge added.