THE secretary of a social club suffered a broken hip and shoulder when he was shoved over by the treasurer after making a joke about his wife.

Norman Jones, 61, was left in agony after being pushed to the ground outside of the RAOB Club in Middlesbrough on August 9, a court heard.

He needed a hip replacement, spent two weeks in hospital and a month in rehab having physiotherapay, and now fears of life-long difficulties.

His attacker Bernard Nicholson, 58, was spared prison yesterday after a judge heard his wife suffers from epilepsy and he looks after her.

Nicholson was given a 12-month suspended jail sentence with 200 hours of unpaid community work and was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation.

The former British Steel worker was also put on a four-month electronic tag curfew from 9pm to 7am "as a direct alternative to custody".

Judge Peter Armstong, at Teesside Crown Court, told him: "I'm quite sure you never thought for a moment you'd cause such serious injuries."

Kelleigh Lodge, mitigating, said: "He is genuinely sorry for what has happened. He certainly didn't set out to cause the injuries."

In an impact statement made last month, Mr Jones said he was walking with a crutch, and had day-to-day difficulties with his arm in a sling.

"I worry about going out on a night because I feel vulnerable," he said. "I didn't feel this way before. I could get arthritis or anything."

Nicholson, of Carey Close, Middlesbrough, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared before Teesside magistrates last month.

Judge Armstrong told him: "This was an offence which arose without any pre-planning, and it was an unfortunate remark which may have been intended as some sort of joke, but as is often the case, it didn't find any humorous favour with those on the receiving end, who took exception to the remark he made."

The court heard that both men had been drinking in separate groups on the night of the incident, and Nicholson has since lost his post.