A MAN who launched a "premeditated, vicious, sustained" attack with an iron bar on an 81-year-old man in Cornwall has been jailed for nine years.

Garry Mallett, 40, beat Gilbert Wilton around the head and body with a 42-inch long, three-inch thick iron bar at the pensioner's home in Newquay.

Truro Crown Court was told yesterday that Mr Wilton was found by police lying in a pool of blood in his front room. The walls and furniture were splattered and smeared with blood.

During the attack, Mr Wilton, who lived alone, suffered multiple lacerations to his face, skull, ears and forearms and fractures to two ribs.

He was rushed to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, Truro, where he spent several weeks recovering.

At an earlier hearing, Mallett pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent during the early hours of June 7 last year.

Mallett, of Thomas Road, Newquay, had previously denied a charge of attempted murder.

The court was told yesterday Mallett had been drinking when he walked past Mr Wilton's terraced house in Mayfield Crescent on the Mayfield Estate at about 1.30am.

Prosecuting, Robert Linford said Mallett spotted an iron bar lying in the elderly man's garden before "bursting in" through the front door of the house.

"The iron bar was taken by the defendant into the house with the clear and express intention of using it on his victim. He hit Mr Wilton over the head with the bar, causing him to fall to the floor where he struck him a number of times again. He repeatedly rained blows upon him."

Mr Linford said that Mr Wilton later recalled Mallett making "constant demands for money" but gave him no chance to get it for him.

Mr Wilton's neighbour heard his cries for help and rang police. When officers arrived, Mallett let them into the property and he was arrested.

Mallett had previous convictions for drugs and alcohol-related offences and a conviction for violence 20 years ago.

For legal reasons, mitigation put forward by defence barrister Rupert Taylor was not allowed to be reported.

Mr Taylor said his client first admitted he had carried out the attack to officers driving him to Newquay police station on the night of the assault and had continued to do so.

The judge told Mallett: "This was a premeditated, vicious, sustained attack with an iron bar on an 81-year-old man in his own home. The injuries you inflicted on your victim were grave."