A TWIN said to have attacked an elder brother in a sex abuse claims confrontation has escaped jail.

Burnley Crown Court had heard how Harry Windle ended up "semi-conscious and bleeding," after younger siblings Mark and Andrew, 35, turned up at his home and branded him a pervert.

Mark Windle of Smith Street, Nelson, earlier admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and Judge Raymond Bennett had adjourned the case for a trial over the facts.

After hearing from both Harry Windle and the defendant, the judge said he could not reject the version given by Mark Windle to the police and gave him a combination order of 100 hours community service and 12 months probation.

Henry Blackshaw, prosecuting, said Harry Windle, 48, the eldest of a family of six brothers and six sisters, was at home when Mark and Andrew Windle turned up. Andrew was also involved in the incident, but was still unlawfully at large.

The twins let themselves in and said they wanted to talk about allegations of sex abuse in the family. Although it was not alleged Harry Windle abused his younger brothers, the court was told, they seemed to blame him as he was the eldest brother.

As Harry Windle was putting his boots on, he was said to have been struck a heavy blow just above his eye, which needed 20 stitches. He picked up a candlestick to protect himself and threw it at the twins. When Mark Windle was interviewed by police, he said Harry had armed himself with a candlestick and had gone to hit Andrew with it.

Harry Windle told the court the twins were really wound up and shouted that they had been abused when they were younger. He said his brothers claimed he must have known about it and therefore must be a pervert, but he told them he had not heard anything.

He claimed blows rained down on him as he was putting his boots on and he picked up the candlestick. He said he finished up semi-conscious and bleeding and thought he heard one of the brothers say: "I think he's had enough, now." Mr Windle told the court he did not have a chance to retaliate. Cross-examined by Martin Hackett, defending, Mr Windle said he did not hit Andrew with the candlestick. He said he was upset and traumatised by what went on and over possible repercussions for some time.