FARM worker Edward Bourne viciously attacked his sister punching and kicking her with his steel-capped boots, a court heard.
The 48-year-old from Tenbury Wells, who was described as "a violent and controlling bully", escaped an immediate prison sentence after admitting a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.
During the attack, which happened in front of their 83-year-old father, the victim was forced to the ground and her was pulled.
Passing sentence at Shrewsbury Crown Court last week Judge Robin Onions said the case "painted an unhappy and distressing picture" and Bourne had been involved in a targeted and sustained assault. The steel-capped boots were an equivalent of a weapon.
"For many years you have been a bully. Your behaviour should have been stopped in its tracks a long time ago. You are a violent, controlling bully of your father and sister,” he told the defendant.
Bourne, of Teme Street, was given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid work.
In addition he was ordered to pay £700 costs and a restraining order was imposed for him to stay away from the victim.
The court heard the attack in August last year followed a dispute over family matters at the farm where they all worked.
Paul Spratt, prosecuting, said an argument had broken out over the victim attending a birthday party where the defendant’s children were and over the use of a Land Rover at the farm.
“The defendant said his sister had behaved in a traitorous manner. He spat into her face, struck her face on three occasions and grabbed her hair," he said.
He said a family friend had arrived at the farm and pulled Bourne away from the victim who suffered serious knee injuries, bruising and lost a clump of hair.
During the attack Bourne had picked up a kettle and some of the part-boiled water had spilled on the defendant’s father and he had also thrown foodstuffs around the kitchen.