A SERIOUSLY ill former psychiatric nurse "exploded" and attacked his elderly parents in a row over his Post Office book, a court was told.

Stuart McCullock, 47, pushed his 79-year-old mother Margaret and 81-year-old father James, who he now lives with at Western Road, Bacup, Burnley magistrates heard.

The court was told the "sad" history of how McCullock, who had been living in France with his partner, had found out he had got HIV in a routine blood test.

The defendant was not in any "high risk," groups and believed he had contracted it from a dirty needle whilst working in the NHS. McCullock, who also discovered he had hepatitis C, saw his relationship, which had produced a child who later died, fizzle out as he spent time receiving hospital treatment in this country.

McCullock admitted two counts of assault by beating on April 4. He was given an 18 months conditional discharge.

Allegations of affray and resisting police were withdrawn. The bench, who ordered £75 costs, said they were departing from the guidelines because the case was individual. He had no previous convictions.

Elizabeth Read, pros-ecuting, told the court McCullock lost his temper, swore at his mother and told her to get back to the post office to sort out his book. She was frightened and went to leave.

Her husband then returned from walking the dog and the defendant "exploded" in verbal abuse. He pushed his father and when his mother tried to intervene, he pushed her as well.

Mrs Read said when the couple returned from the post office felt they had no option but to call the police as McCullock had not calmed down.

The prosecutor said McCullock was on methadone.

His solicitor Dylan Bradshaw said since the diagnosis he had experimented with an "anti-social lifestyle," but did not get the conditions from drugs use.