A DUDLEY burglar has been told he will be spending a "long, long" time behind bars after he admitted trying to kill a 73-year-old security guard in a raid on a Brierley Hill factory.

Lee Parsons was caught on CCTV brutally hitting Joginder Singh Mattu with a shovel before kicking him about the head and body.

Judge James Burbidge QC at Wolverhampton Crown Court told Parsons: "The footage speaks louder than any words."

Parsons pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Mr Mattu at Stoke Forgings in Vine Street on March 19 this year.

The 44-year-old, of no fixed address, also admitted burgling the premises with intent to steal and he was remanded in custody until July 3.

The judge told him he had the good sense to admit responsibility for what was a "grave crime" after initially indicating a plea of not guilty.

He said reports were required before the case could be finalised to assess what danger Parsons would pose to the public on his release from custody.

The judge told him: "You were in the act of burglary and you could have walked away quite easily - even after you delivered one punch."

He told Parsons he would probably have got a "modest" prison sentence for that offence, even with his criminal record, but he warned: "Now you will be going to prison for a long long time."

Hugh O'Brien-Quinn, prosecuting, told the court Mr Mattu had made a "remarkable" recovery from his injuries.

He was continuing to receive daily medication and he had some recollection of the incident.

Andrew Molloy, defending Parsons who changed his plea to guilty after a short consultation with his barrister, stressed reports were necessary.

He said Parsons had to be assessed and he also asked for psychiatric reports to be prepared before he returned to the court for sentencing.