A man launched a 'vicious' and 'sustained' attack on a helpless 71 year old man in his own home because of a dispute over wages going back almost 20 years, a court has heard.

Stuart Cooper, 47, armed himself with a baseball bat or piece of wood before visiting the elderly victim's Fakenham home in the dead of night.

Cooper asked for the victim by name and when he opened a door, Cooper 'barged into launch a vicious assault on him raining blows down upon him'.

The 'sustained, violent attack on an older man in his own home' was only brought to an end when the victim's partner bravely asked 'what on earth was going on'.

Cooper left but not before he had left '30 sites of injury' on the victim who had been struck 'all over his body, from his head to his torso, arms and legs'.

Norwich Crown Court heard Cooper, who was having financial difficulties and had seen his house repossessed, had targeted the victim as following a disagreement the defendant claimed related to money owed to him from about 20 years ago.

When interviewed by police Cooper said he had been owed a lot of money in wages by the victim and had 'lost his house as a result'.

Cooper, of The Terrace, North Pickenham, near Swaffham, appeared to be sentenced yesterday having previously admitted aggravated burglary and having an offensive weapon.

Jailing him for seven and a half years, Recorder Guy Ayers said it was a 'quite extraordinary' case and described the incident, on in November 16 last year, as a 'sustained, violent attack'.

Jonathan Morgans, for Cooper, described the case as an 'absolute tragedy' for not only the victims but the defendant and his family.

He said the significant financial pressures of not being able to look after his family affected his mental health and led to him doing something 'he's going to regret for the rest of his life'.

Cooper was also made the subject of an restraining order banning him from contacting the victim or his partner indefinitely.