A man attacked his friend with a catapult and garden shears after a row broke out as he was picking up his chihuahua from her home.

Alan Brook left 55-year-old Betsy Jones with “very nasty” head injuries after a row broke out in September last year, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

The 49-year-old had gone to her home in East Malling to collect his dog, which she had been looking after, when an altercation started when Ms Jones refused to let Brook use her phone.

Brook then pulled out a catapult loaded with a conker and took aim at the victim, but missed.

She fled, and he grabbed garden shears before he beat her over the head with them.

Recorder Nicola Williams was told how the wooden handles of the shears had fallen off when Brook picked them up, meaning Ms Jones was hit over the head with the exposed metal.

CCTV used in the police investigation showed Ms Jones making her way into her front garden before going to her neighbour, Brian King, and ringing his doorbell for help.

Mr King took the phone from her, which Brook, formerly of Temple Way, East Malling, had claimed was his device and then snatched.

He ran off and changed his clothing before being driven to his daughter-in-law’s home in Snodland, where he was found by police hiding in the toilet.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Jones, who was taken to hospital with multiple injuries, said she now hardly leaves her house due to the incident and feels as though she is looking over her shoulder when she does.

The court heard that Brook, who pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, has 18 convictions for 36 offences.

One included stabbing a man in the chest in 2005, for which he was jailed for six years, and one for wounding a person in 2010 after a supermarket car park stabbing.

A further charge of robbery, in connection to the phone, was ordered by the court to lie on file.

Jailing Brook for four-and-a-half years on Wednesday, Recorder Williams said: “This is a very tragic case. In terms of both your past circumstances and what happened to Ms Jones, who suffered very, very nasty injuries.”

He will serve 40% of his sentence before being released on licence.

A 10-year restraining order was issued against him, preventing him from contacting Ms Jones, while a five-year order was put in place, banning him from contacting Mr King.

Brook must also pay a £228 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, Detective Sergeant Mark Giles said: “This was a senseless and entirely unprovoked attack which left the victim suffering some appalling injuries.

“Brook tried to stab her in the head multiple times and could easily have killed her.

“He has a history of violent offending and has shown no indication of any remorse. I only hope the victim can take some comfort and reassurance now Brook has been sentenced.”