A MAN has been cleared of using threatening behaviour after a row over walking dogs on a lead escalated into a court appearance.

Stephen I’Anson was accused of being aggressive and ‘getting into the face’ of Alexander Sinski when they clashed in the grounds of Middleton St George Community Centre last July.

The pair had disagreed several times over Mr I’Anson’s habit of letting his dog run free, Sunderland Magistrates’ Court heard.

During the trial, Mr Sinski told magistrates the pair ended up ‘nose to nose’ and how he could ‘feel his breath on my face’.

The court heard how the unsavoury row came more than a year after the pair first clashed during a public meeting to discuss dog-fouling issues in the town.

Mr Sinski, who is standing in Thursday’s by-election for a seat on Middleton St George Parish Council, said he feared he would be struck by Mr I’Anson as the row escalated.

The former serviceman said: “It was 'tit for tat' and he became louder and then it became aggressive.

"He was initially walking away but then he turned round and came back and that's when he squared up to me. We were nose to nose – I could feel his breath on my face – that's how close we were.

"It was a red-mist moment for both of us, we were both very angry. His hands were not down by his side – I thought he was going to strike me."

Under cross examination, Mr Sinski, who served in the armed forces for 30 years, including ten years as a paratrooper, denied branding Mr I'Anson a coward during the altercation.

Louise Seniscal, the vice chairwoman of Middleton St George Community Centre Committee, was with Mr Sinski at the time of the dispute.

She told the court that she had taken notes following the incident but could not recollect exactly what was said but was concerned that Mr I'Anson was acting aggressively.

In his evidence, Mr I'Anson, of High Stell, Middleton St George, told the court he was now working as a driving instructor but had been a licensee for more than 20 years after spending nine years serving in the Royal Navy.

The 56-year-old accepted that the row had got out of hand but said that at no time had he threatened violence or even taken his hands from behind his back.

Mr I'Anson said: "He said to me 'you're not above the law and I'm going to prove that you're not'. At that point I have turned around and started to walk towards him as he walked towards me – he came into my face.

"My hands were behind my back at all times and I could feel his spit hitting my face because we were that close together."

Under cross examination by Laura Croft, prosecuting, Mr I'Anson denied squaring up to Mr Sinski but accepted that their behaviour was not acceptable.

He said: "Never at anytime did I give him the impression that I was going to strike him. Three times I tried to walk away but each time he continued to goad me. I'm an ex-serviceman, as Mr Sinski is also, nobody likes to be called a coward – certainly not an ex-serviceman."

Summing up the defence, Andrew White, representing Mr I’Anson, said: “This was a storm in a tea cup - a quarrel, an argument between two men over a dog off its lead which has resulted in one of them being branded a criminal with a charge that can result in six months in prison.

“There was no threats, no abuse – arguments happen in life. It was unseemly but not a breach of criminal law. Wagging a finger maybe a bit rude but it doesn’t make you a criminal.”

Chairwoman on bench, Angela Thompson announcing the verdict of not guilty, said: “Hopefully, this will draw a line under it.”

Speaking after the verdict, Mr I'Anson said: "I'm so pleased that it is over. This case has been hanging over me for nine months. I knew I had done nothing wrong and I'm relieved that I have been vindicated."