A SENIOR fire officer who beat up his mother’s step-father and his wife as they walked home from the pub has avoided being sent to jail.

Scott Forward, a watch manager with Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, initially attacked 71-year-old Kenneth Frogget from behind, punching and kicking him to the ground, a court heard yesterday.

When Mr Frogget’s wife, Sandra, 65, tried to intervene, Forward then kicked and punched her, saying he had waited 14 years for the moment, said David Crook, prosecuting.

The incident happened on Waldridge Road, in Chester-le Street, County Durham, on the evening of December 19 last year as Mr and Mrs Froggett were walking home from a family function at the Whitehills pub.

Forward, 31, of Blackwell Road, Darlington, had risen quickly in the fire service to become a watch manager and Durham Crown Court received several glowing references.

He is currently suspended pending disciplinary procedures and had he been jailed, he would have lost his job, the court was told.

After the hearing, a fire service spokesman said: “We cannot comment on any internal disciplinary procedures.”

Forward admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Paul Abrahams, mitigating, said: “This is a particularly sad and unusual case. December last year was a particularly low point for Mr Forward.”

Forward had recently learned his partner had been involved in another relationship, had undergone an abortion and spent their child’s trust fund money; and been told Mr Froggett was not his true grandfather.

Mr Froggett has a conviction for assaulting Forward’s mother in 1976 and other allegations are under investigation, the court heard.

Mr Abrahams said: “It all came together on that night, when he had had a drink and was suffering from depression.

He boiled over.”

Mr Froggett, who suffered a cut lip, said the attack ruined his plans for Christmas and left him afraid to go out while Mrs Froggett, who also suffered a cut lip and swelling, said she was scared to leave her home for several weeks.

Forward, holding back tears, told sentencing judge Recorder Anton Lodge: “I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to yourself and to the victims.

“I didn’t intend to harm them in any way and I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I can’t believe I’m here. I’m truly sorry.”

Recorder Lodge told him: “You have worked well and with distinction in one of the great public services.

“To see two people, aged 71 and 65, and beat them up is not something which any decent member of society would approve of in any way and society would expect anybody who behaved like that would be sentenced to immediate imprisonment.

“But the circumstances of your behaviour on that night of 19th December of last year have a very different background.”

Forward was given an 18- month community order with supervision and ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work and pay £1,200 compensation.