A former soldier who smashed a man's skull with a lump hammer has been jailed for three years.

"Dangerous" Willium Davies struck Paul Budd when Mr Budd was having a row with his fiancee, Bristol Crown Court heard.

The court was told Mr Budd suffered a depressed fracture to his skull, which required surgery, and he spent six days in Frenchay Hospital before encountering related problems of sickness, deafness and a worsening of his epilepsy.

Davies, 50, of Beaufort House, Strawbridge Road, Barton Hill, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, following the incident in January last year.

Imposing sentence, recorder Barry Cotter, QC, told Davies: "I do consider you to be a dangerous offender. It could have been so much worse."

Stephen Dent, prosecuting, said Mr Budd had been engaged to Rachel Marshallsay but they became involved in a row. Mr Dent said: "Willium Davies intervened by striking Mr Budd twice with a hammer, the two blows causing a fracture of his skull."

The court heard in interview that Davies told police he was severely disabled, he wasn't there at the time and claimed he couldn't even lift a cigarette to his mouth - something which was later denied by a doctor.

Mr Dent said Davies's previous convictions, which started from 1975, included possession of an offensive weapon, two cases of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two cases of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, as well as wounding, common assault, affray and possessing a blade.

Ramin Pakrooh, defending, said his client had previously claimed to have been born in Sicily and had gone by an "exotic mix" of aliases.

He said: "It emerges he was not born in Sicily, he was born in Wales and he ended up going to Leeds.

"Many of the names he has adorned himself with were to make himself more exotic, mysterious and interesting.

"He's absolutely covered in layers."

Mr Pakrooh told the court that, having attended boarding school between nine and 12, his client then spent time living at home or with his brothers from the age of 15 before spending three years in the Army, which offered him stability and friendship.

Mr Pakrooh said: "After the Army, he got into biking, he went to Europe and his name Wolf emerged because, during that period, he was with a group of ex-military people who called themselves the Blue Wolves."

Mr Pakrooh said Davies saw himself as an isolated character and added that Davies had acted in what he thought was a protective role for Miss Marshallsay but conceded he used excessive force, which was not premeditated.