Darth Vader attacker is sentenced
A man confronted a neighbour called Darth Vader who he feared had been romancing his girlfriend, a court was told.
Ikbal Hare threw a punch at Mr Vader, but missed and hit the man's wife, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
Trouble had flared earlier in the day when police were called to an alleged domestic dispute involving Hare and his girlfriend Kerry Campbell, a judge was told. Mrs Vader, who was a neighbour of the couple in Milner Street, Walsall, later went to check that they were both alright.
While there Hare revealed he suspected her husband of having a relationship with Miss Campbell.
Prosecutor Tim Sapwell told the court yesterday that Mrs Vader returned to ask her husband about the allegation, which he vehemently denied before going to confront Hare.
Mr Sapwell explained: "There was a scuffle involving the two men and Mrs Vader tried to get between them.
The defendant struck her but there is evidence that, in fact, he had been trying to hit Darth Vader."
Hare ran off chased by several people from the area but was arrested two days later at the home of his girlfriend.
Hare, who was living at Milner Street but is now moving out of the area, pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article, assaulting Mrs Vader and disorderly behaviour on September 20 and was given an 18-month community order under supervision on condition he attend an anger management course.
He was also given 200 hours unpaid work.
Mr Vader is understood to have officially changed his name by deed poll to raise money for charity.
