TWO mothers spent a night in prison after a feud with another parent ended with them assaulting him, a court was told.

Denise Jakeway, 33, and Elizabeth Squire, 39, both of previous good character, were convicted of assaulting the 47-year-old man, causing actual bodily harm, following a trial before North Durham magistrates, in August.

Both were subsequently jailed for three months, but after lodging appeals were released on bail the next day.

They returned to Durham Crown Court for the appeal hearing against the sentence yesterday.

Martin Towers, responding to the appeal, said the pair knocked at the victim's door, in Murton, east Durham, late at night, on March 9.

In the attack which followed, he was hit with a brick, knocked to the ground and kicked. He suffered cuts and bruises, and needed surgery for a broken nose.

The two women were arrested and denied being present. But, when linked to the scene after the victim's bloodstains were found on their clothing, they said they were passing his house when he attacked them.

Barristers for Jakeway and Squire, Nick Cartmell and Peter Schofield, argued that the prison sentence was excessive, given that both are previously unconvicted and are mothers of school-age children.

Recorder Tom Bayliss, sitting with two magistrates, agreed to replace the jail sentences with maximum 240-hour community punishment orders.

Jakeway, of Williams Road, and Squire, of Treen Crescent, both Murton, were each ordered to pay the victim £250 compensation.