A GRIEVING father who suffered serious injuries and had £2,800 of damage done to his car has expressed his disbelief that his attacker escaped jail.

Martin Jones, 49, says he was attacked outside his home in Brithdir in March this year and was left with a broken rib, several abrasions, a torn knee ligament and injuries where his earrings were ripped out.

He also said Gareth Wyn Owen, 25, of Bontddu caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to Mr Jones’ Škoda after he crashed into his parked car with a 4x4.

Owen was found guilty of assault and criminal damage at Caernarfon Magistrates’ Court and told to pay £2,800 in compensation, a £50 victim surcharge, £600 in court costs and handed 180 hours of community service.

Martin, who walks with a steel support for his weakened knee following the attack, has now installed CCTV and security lights at the front of his home.

He said: “The sentence is a joke, he got next to nothing for the crimes he committed.

“I just want justice for what he did to me. He really has put me through hell.”

Following the death of his daughter, Lona, in a crash on the A494 near Bala in May 2012, Mr Jones suffered with stress before having a debilitating stroke two years ago.

But he says he has battled to restore his mental and physical health, only for this attack to really set him back.

Read the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News, in shops now, or available by clicking the digital editions link above