A SKIPTON man who assaulted his friend over the delayed return of his Snap-on tools before going on to threaten police officers, has been given a community sentence.

Richard Cooper, 45, went to Luke Bland's house on July 11 to demand the return of the tools he had lent his former friend several months earlier, heard Skipton Magistrates' Court.

Cooper, of Rombalds Drive, who had drunk a bottle of wine, argued with the younger man before hitting him in the face and leaving, the court heard.

When police turned up at his house on the same day, Cooper threatened them verbally, picked up a piece of wood, and 'strutted about', shirtless, and with his 'chest puffed out'.

His dog went for one of the officers, grabbing hold of his trouser leg and Cooper was eventually restrained with the use of Parva spray and a police baton, said prosecutor, Martin Butterworth.

He added Cooper's elderly mother was in the house at the time and had tried unsuccessfully to calm him down.

Cooper had told the officers he would 'take them down' and one officer had used an emergency button for extra assistance.

Cooper, who admitted the assault by beating of Mr Bland and affray,was a single man with mental health issues, the court heard in mitigation.

He was also a regular smoker of cannabis, spending £20 on the drug every three days.

In mitigation, John Mewies said Cooper had been a motor mechanic in his younger days and had built up a collection of Snap-on tools.

He had lent them to Mr Bland to make repairs to his motorbike and had become increasingly anxious when they had not been returned.

"When Mr Bland did not give the tools back, it became an irritant and became to dominate his life," he said.

Mr Mewies said Cooper did not believe he punched the younger and much taller man, but he did accept 'unlawful contact'.

The arrival of officers at his house had inflamed the situation, he said.

"In his fragile mental state, being surrounded by officers threatening to use their gas cannisters and threatening his dog aggravated his state of mind," he said.

Cooper, of was given a 12 month community order with two month curfew confining him to his house between 9pm and 7am. He will also have to carry out up to 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement, and pay costs of £85 and surcharge of £85.