POULTRY handler Robert Newall's friendship with Keith Hartley hit rock bottom the night he found that his friend fancied his wife, a court was told yesterday.

After arguing in a Ripon nightclub about Hartley's confession that he would like to be "more than a friend'' to Mrs Newall, the two men allowed their passions to spill over into the street and police had to be called, Harrogate magistrates heard.

The outcome was a court appearance by both men, with Hartley, 40, of High Skellgate, Ripon being bound over to be of good behaviour for a year after admitting breaching the peace.

Newall, 30, of Oak Road, Ripon, pleaded guilty to behaviour likely to provoke fear of violence and to two counts of assault.

He was put on probation for a year and ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid community work, pay £70 costs and £50 to one of his attack victims, PC Paul Stephenson and £5 to the other, Sergeant John Downham.

Newall was also fined £50 after admitting possession of cannabis