DOMESTIC violence campaigners hit out last night after a pensioner who hit his wife over the head with a metal bar was deemed too old to go to jail.

Oliver Clarkson, chairman of the Northumberland and Durham Canary Club, escaped prison yesterday after a judge heard he had suffered two strokes since being on remand for the attack in March.

Yesterday at Newcastle Crown Court the 71-year-old, of Woodbine Terrace in Bensham, Gateshead, was given a restraining order preventing him from contacting wife Carol.

Sentencing on charges of unlawful wounding and criminal damage, which Clarkson admitted at an earlier hearing, was deferred for six months.

The court heard how the couple had been married for 10 years and lived at Finchale Terrace in Jarrow, South Tyneside, where he kept his birds and pet cats.

In January this year a Non-Molestation Order to protect Mrs Clarkson, 20 years younger than her ex-husband, was granted by a County Court, but on March 18 he smashed a window at her home, prosecutor Barry Robson told the court. Two days later she came from work with a friend and as she went to switch on the light was struck across the head with a metal bar by Clarkson.

Mrs Clarkson’s friend was able to restrain him until police arrived. His ex-wife needed four staples in her head and the court heard she has since suffered stress.

Clarkson had a previous conviction for threatening to kill his then common-law wife in 1991. Defending, Ian Graham, said: “He has suffered quite a decline in his health. He has already had a stroke and had another stroke this week.”

He added: “The complainant wants to move on. He found it difficult to accept. He had a number of birds at this address and cats and he was supposed to be allowed access, but she never provided this.”

Recorder Graham Hyland QC told Clarkson: “You have been remanded in custody for some months. You are too old to be in prison, but if in the next six months you offend in any way, particularly in relation to your former wife, you will go to prison.”

Following the case Clare Phillipson, director of the Wearside Women in Need refuge, said: “Hitting somebody over the head with a metal bar could have led to the death of this woman.

“Given it was in the context of what was clearly within a sustained campaign of terror and intimidation, I disagree with the judge and think this man should have gone to prison.”