AN Army officer-turned security expert and his student son, who brought terror to a teenagers' party, were spared prison sentence yesterday.

Magistrates heard how Robert Cole, 50, who recently quit as a security consultant in Iraq, and his son, Gregory, 22, who is studying politics at Edinburgh University, burst in on a party for 70 youngsters, aged 15 and 16, in a field behind a house in Thistle Hill, Knaresborough, last summer.

The court heard how Cole's 15-year-old daughter had been a guest and he and his son arrived following allegations that she had been given drugs before returning to the family's then home, in Station Road, in nearby Goldsborough.

Peter Scott, prosecuting, said many of the partygoers had set up tents and seven of them were slashed by Cole senior, wielding a knife.

His son shouted and waved a large torch, which he still carried when he entered the main house and went to a bedroom, where his aggressive attitude woke one of the occupants.

Mr Scott said partygoers had been left in a state of shock.

The Coles each pleaded guilty to affray.

Robert McMaster, mitigating, said they had simply been over protective.

Gregory Cole was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid community work and to pay £206 costs plus £110 compensation.

Robert Cole was ordered to do 240 hours of community punishment work with costs of £206 and compensation of £517.94.