The man who tried to gouge out the eye of Neighbourhood Watch leader Brian Flanagan was today jailed for 12 months.

Glen Jowitt, 26, attacked his neighbour as part of a dispute over the name of the street in which they both lived, a jury heard.

Sentencing him, Judge Paul Hoffman, said: "This was an unprovoked attack in a street on an elderly man. You went a long way in an attempt, as it seems to me, to gouge this man's eye out. You inflicted a significant injury. This is far too serious to pass over."

He jailed Jowitt for a year.

The jury convicted him of actual bodily harm at York Crown Court in December.

They heard that Jowitt shouted insults at Mr Flanagan as they were both returning home by bus from the city centre to their homes in Burton Green, Clifton.

Mr Flanagan was one of those who got the street's name changed from Kingsway North. Jowitt made it plain he did not like the change.

The jury heard details of how, after they got off the bus, Jowitt attacked Mr Flanagan.

Kate Buckingham, for Jowitt, said he was a good, conscientious and steady worker who had held down jobs since leaving school.

He had never been convicted of any violence before.

In 1998 he received a community service order for drugs and driving matters, and did it so well he put in extra hours.

His mother relied on him as she was disabled and he shouldered a great deal of responsibility in the home.

He could not accept full responsibility for the attack on Mr Flanagan, but he did want to repay him for his pain and when they had encountered each other in the streets recently, he had made an effort to be "civilised and courteous."

Updated: 13:43 Thursday, January 25, 2001