A PENSIONER’S attack on his wife – which left her with blood pouring from a head wound – was the latest in a series of incidents between them, a court heard.

Police had been called to the home of Nicholas and Elizabeth Perry, of Langtoft Road, Stroud, 14 times before the assault, Gloucester Crown Court heard last Wednesday.

Mr Perry, 67, pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding his wife of 42 years and was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with supervision.

Prosecutor Janine Wood said the Crown had decided not to continue with a more serious charge of wounding Mrs Perry with intent.

She also said the Crown did not accept Perry’s basis of plea – that he had pushed rather than hit his wife.

However, she said she understood the couple had since reconciled and had recently been on holiday together – and in the circumstances the prosecution did not wish to press its case.

On March 12, police received a call at about 11pm from the ambulance service asking them to attend the couple’s address.

“They found Mrs Perry kneeling down on the hall floor with a towel to her head,” said Mrs Wood. “There was blood all over the place – on the carpet, in the kitchen, up the walls. She confirmed that the person who had caused this injury to her was her husband.

“The defendant spoke to an officer and said ‘I’d had enough. She kicked me.’ “Mrs Perry was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. She told the officer ‘He will make out it was all my fault.’ “She had a large laceration on her head, swollen nose, graze to the right cheek and bruising to the left fingers.”

She had to have seven metal staples in the head wound.

When interviewed, Mrs Perry said there had been an argument between her and her husband on the way home and he had hit her head against the wall when they got in.

Lloyd Jenkins, defending Mr Perry, said: “He tells me it is true the police have attended 14 times in the last 10 years but he says it’s because his wife has mental health issues and has very low moods and depression.

“Her son says that even the most minor or trivial incidents will cause her to lose perspective and she takes it out on her husband, using him as a punch bag.”

But Judge Tabor pointed out that police reports stated Mr Perry had stamped on his wife’s arm and thrown her against the bath in the past.