A HEARTFELT plea from a battered wife has saved her alcoholic husband from prison despite suffering a horrific baseball bat attack.

Patricia Jenkins was hit so hard that the bat broke, but she begged a judge not to jail her husband, John, for the sake of their daughter.

Jenkins, of Middlesbrough, was given a suspended prison sentence by Judge Peter Fox and ordered to seek treatment for his alcohol dependency.

The 12-month sentence was suspended for two years and 42- year-old Jenkins was also ordered to undergo probation supervision.

Judge Fox told him: "You are very fortunate. You understand that if you beat her again I will send you to prison and this 12 months I suspend will be the start of your sentence, not the total.

"You have a forgiving wife who needs you sober, not drunk; behaving yourself, not violent; needs you for her own support as well as for the support of your daughter.

"Until I read her letter, I was firmly of the opinion that you should go immediately to prison.

It is only her letter which has persuaded me that it need not be immediately."

Teesside Crown Court was told that Jenkins launched the savage attack after an all-day drinking session at the family home on the Grove Hill estate, on January 10.

Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, said Jenkins drank at least four bottles of wine and six cans of superstrength lager during the binge, which started in the morning.

By 11.30pm, Jenkins became "increasingly argumentative and aggressive verbally" towards his wife, Mr Perks said.

Jenkins was said to have been infuriated that she did not respond to the taunts and picked up the bat - emblazoned with "Benidorm" from a holiday - and beat his terrified wife.

He first struck her across the legs, then on her left forearm as she tried to protect herself, and finally on her left buttock with such force the two-and-a-half foot bat broke. "She stated that she was petrified and did not know what he was going to do next," said Mr Perks.

"She grabbed what was left of the bat, but more injuries were then sustained after he grabbed hold of her throat," he added.

The 20-minute ordeal ended only when a friend of Jenkins' arrived at the house, in Keith Road, and Jenkins went out.

Brian Russell, mitigating, said Jenkins, who admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, has since attended an alcohol treatment service.