The son of 1960s pop star Vince Hill has escaped a prison sentence after his dad wrote an emotional appeal to magistrates begging them to be lenient.

Athol Hill, 28, a former Oxford Brookes University student and heroin addict, appeared in court two months ago after attacking his ex-girlfriend.

But magistrates deferred sentence after singer Vince pleaded with them not to send his son to prison. In a letter read to the court, Mr Hill explained how his son had gone off the rails after years of drug abuse. He explained that the whole family supported him in his bid to kick the heroin habit.

Hill, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to criminal damage and actual bodily harm, was yesterday given one year's probation and ordered to pay 100 compensation to his ex-girlfriend, after magistrates heard he had made good progress at a rehabilitation clinic in Reading. Earlier, Oxford magistrates heard that during a violent row in January, Hill had hurled a wine bottle at his ex-girlfriend, Maryann Green, hitting her on her left eye.