A SKIPTON man who left a shopkeeper in fear of his life has been warned he faces prison if he breaches a community sentence.

Banares Alam, 37, repeatedly punched and kicked Talib Hussain at Just Jeans on Skipton High Street in daylight on May 15 in a sustained and brutal attack, heard magistrates.

After members of the public attempted to intervene, Alam got hold of a clothes rail and broke several panes of the shop window with it before taking off in a car.

Mr Hussain, who had known Alam since Alam was a child, but who had not spoken to him for 15 years, believed the younger man was going to kill him, the Skipton court heard.

Prosecuting, Melanie Ibbotson said Mr Hussain later made a retraction statement, but that it had been made in fear for his and his family's safety, and not for any other reason.

Alam, of Niffany Gardens, was found guilty after trial last month of the assault by beating of Mr Hussain and of causing £300 damage to the shopfront of Just Jeans.

Following a pre-sentence report, Alam was given a 12 month community order as a direct alternative to custody. He will also have to complete up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and will be subject to a curfew from 8pm to 7am for two months.

He was also ordered to pay compensation of £400 to Mr Hussain and court costs of £310.

Magistrates also granted a restraining order barring Alam from any contact with Mr Hussain or from entering Just Jeans for five years. He was warned any breach of his community order was likely to mean him being sent to prison.