ELDENE man Darryl Pearce stabbed his sister with a Stanley knife following an argument over housework.

The shaven-headed 39-year-old launched the attack on his older sibling after moving back in with her following his divorce.

But he had denied any wrongdoing until the morning of his trial at Swindon Crown Court as his sister did not want to proceed with the case.

His barrister even asked if the prosecution would accept Pearce being bound over to keep the peace, meaning he would not receive a criminal conviction, rather than make Vivian Pearce go through a trial.

However when that offer was refused he changed his plea to guilty just seconds before a jury panel was selected.

Paul Cook, prosecuting, told the court it was felt to be in the public interest to continue with the case as it involved a knife.

He said that after their mother died in 1981 Miss Pearce brought up her brother and he moved back in with her following the breakdown of his marriage six years ago.

On the evening of Thursday, October 20 he said Miss Pearce, who is seven years older than her brother, had been drinking and she had words with him about not doing anything around the house.

"He went off to his room and after some argument she followed him into his room," Mr Cook said.

"It is right to say he hit her with a fist clenched to the side of the face. There was a knife on the side of his room, a work knife that was out.

"He picked it up, the knife connected with her, he withdrew it immediately. It hit her, stabbed her in the face above the temple and there was some blood from that.

"Her account in her statement was she did not think that the action was deliberate on his part. He was very concerned."

Mr Cook said that although she had made a statement to the police Miss Pearce had not wanted her brother prosecuted.

He added that she wanted her brother to return to their home as he had been banned from having contact with her since the incident.

Pearce, of Beresford Close, Eldene, pleaded guilty to a charge of actual bodily harm. He has a number of previous convictions.

Before he changed his plea Justin Gau, defending, said his client would agree to being bound over if the more serious charge was dropped.

He said: "They are brother and sister who have lived together for five years and one might feel the last thing they needed in any domestic arrangement was that this sort of wedge should be forced between them."

Adjourning the case for pre-sentence reports Judge Tom Longbotham said that he thought it unlikely that he would impose a jail term.

He said that he was considering a suspended sentence with a community service or probation or both. Pearce was freed on bail on condition he doesn't go to his sister's home though he is allowed to have contact with her.