A VIOLENT bully who killed a man "half his size" and badly assaulted another just three weeks later was yesterday jailed for 12 years.

Leslie Dowson admitted charges of manslaughter and inflicting grievous bodily harm during earlier cases at Teesside Crown Court.

He was arrested after Stanley Burgon was beaten up at his home in Rydal Street, Hartlepool, on December 18 last year.

Mr Burgon died in hospital from a brain haemorrhage caused by ruptured aneurism suffered during the night-time attack, having never regained consciousness.

After being questioned by police and given bail while investigations into the cause of death continued, Dowson assaulted his cousin, Michael Casey.

Mr Casey was left with a broken arm after the beating, which happened after the pair had been on a drinking binge in Dowson's home.

Prosecutor John Elvidge, QC, described Dowson, of St Oswald's Street, Hartlepool, as "a man that easily engages in violence" and "appears to be indifferent to the consequences to others".

Peter Makepeace, QC, mitigating, told Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC: "He did not intend to cause either of these people serious harm."

The court heard that Mr Burgon was frail and vulnerable - just 5ft 5ins, and just over ten stone - when 20-stone "overbearing bully" Dowson attacked him.

Dowson had been in an on-off relationship with his victim's daughter, and following a row with her, visited Mr Burgon to take out his "anger and jealousy" on him.

He smashed down the door to the terraced house, and attacked the 55-year-old as he fled up the stairs to escape.

The court heard that he was overheard laughing in prison about the sustained assault after he was remanded in custody.

He also boasted of "going to town" on Mr Casey - his one-legged cousin - and told the visitor: "I f***ing mullered him."

Judge Bourne-Arton told Dowson, who has 106 offences on a criminal record going back 30 years: "You are prepared to resort to violence for no reason whatsoever. You are, in short, an overbearing bully."

He added: "Only you know precisely why it was you went around in that angry state of mind to Stanley Burgon's house.

"It may have been jealousy, but you went there in a temper and certainly prepared to do violence to him."

Dowson was ruled to be a dangerous offender and a risk to the public, and must serve four years on licence after he is freed from his prison sentence.

The court heard that Mr Casey had first headbutted Dowson and bit his eyebrow as they had "a roll around on the floor", and had his left arm broken with a heavy doorstop.

Mr Makepeace described Mr Burgon's death as "a true tragedy" and claimed there was "no established pattern" of violence in Dowson's past, with many of his previous convictions being for drugs and dishonesty.