A MAN who armed himself with a plank of wood during a neighbourly dispute has walked free from court.

Ionut Buza was witnessed arguing in the street another man before the confrontation descended into violence as they pair exchanged blows whilst armed with weapons.

Buza picked up the plank of wood before he was hit with a hammer on the leg, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 27-year-old maintained he acted in self defence throughout the incident but admitted possessing an offensive weapon – the wood plank – during the altercation in Darlington in August 2018.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said an eyewitness told police that the level of violence was so high that workmen in the area were so disturbed that they left to scene.

"There was a dispute between two occupants of the same house before they became involved in unlawful violence," he said.

Mr Baker said Buza and another man were involved in a heated argument before the defendant armed himself with the plank of wood after going into his own flat.

He said: "The other man is then seen to punch Buza to the face, Buza lifted the plank of wood as they he was going to use it but then dropped the plank of wood to his side.

"The man then produced a hammer and struck Buza on the leg and Buza then struck the man with the plank of wood.

"The behaviour of the men forces some workmen in the area to leave because they were concerned about their own safety.

"The police were called and Buza was arrested and in his interview he said he was acting in self defence."

Mr Baker said the CPS would not be offering any evidence for a charge of affray and Buza was found not guilty of the offence.

Michele Turner, in mitigation, accepted that her client had been in possession of the offensive weapon at the time of the incident.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said: "This was six of one and half a dozen of the other, whatever was going on clearly had an impact on the public, which must be reflected in some form of punitive punishment."

Buza, of Station Road, Darlington, was sentenced to 29 weeks in prison, suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Carroll added: "As a result of the dispute you foolishly went into your flat and came back outside having armed yourself with a plank of wood.

"The sensible thing to have done having gone inside your home would have been to close the door and call the police but you didn't and you went back outside with the weapon and that is was constitutes the criminal offence.

"Inevitably the person you were arguing with did the same, he went inside and came back with a hammer and that is when it descended into violence.

"Street violence cannot and will not be tolerated."