A VIOLENT confrontation in a town centre ended with a man being hit around the head with a baseball bat.

Paul Ford pulled the weapon from inside his jacket when he turned up to support his friend in Stockton April 17 this year.

The 41-year-old 'squared up' with his victim before using the bat to strike the man to the head, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Martin Towers, prosecuting, said the incident was caught on CCTV with town centre security directing police to the defendant after he left the scene.

He said: "The defendant approached another man, who hasn't made a witness statement about this matter, unzipped his jacket and removed some sort of baton or baseball bat.

"The two men then squared up to each other and the defendant hit the victim to the head with the bat.

"There was some more running around in the streets and at one point the defendant threw something in the victim's direction but that missed.

"The defendant then ran off, with two other men, pursued by the victim, who appeared to throw something himself."

The CCTV operators directed the police towards Westbourne Street in the town and police identified Ford as the man who had been spotted carrying the baseball bat.

When he was arrested officers found a bag of amphetamine on defendant.

Ford, of Eastport Road, Stockton, pleaded guilty to affray, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of Class B drug, amphetamine.

Robert Mochrie, in mitigation, said his client had struggled with long-term 'complex' mental health issues and had spent time in hospital.

Recorder Nathan Adams sentenced Ford to four months in custody, suspended for 18 months.

He said: "On that occasion regardless of the reason, whether you thought you were helping a friend or not, you took it upon yourself to arm yourself with a baseball bat and to hit somebody around the head with it in public.

"That is clearly unacceptable in any society, it can cause significant injury or even death, while I sentence you for this offence, there is no evidence of any actual injury caused, there was a very real risk it could have spiralled out of control and even further.

"These are serious matters and the court must treat them that way."

Ford was also ordered to attend 60 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated Teesside Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054