A FATHER threatened his lifelong friend at knifepoint after his daughter accused the man of sexually abusing her.

The attacker, from Stockton, Teesside, who cannot be named, became bitter after his 14-year-old child told him his friend of 20 years had assaulted her.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 46-year-old father decided to take the law into his own hands after downing 14 pints of lager at a local pub.

He went to his friend's house and produced a fishing knife and held it to the man's face, cutting his cheek, on August 28.

Rod Hunt, prosecuting, said three neighbours intervened in the scuffle before police arrived.

He said: "He had a cut face and was extremely shocked and frightened by the incident. He went around there to scare and threaten him but not to injure him."

The defendant was originally charged with attempted murder, but this was later dropped and he pleaded guilty to affray and having an offensive weapon.

The court heard police were investigating allegations the victim had abused the man's daughter when she was 12.

Nigel Soppitt, in mitigation, said his client was of previous good character and had committed the offence in drink.

He said: "He felt upset, betrayed and guilty when he learned his 14-year-old daughter had made an allegation against his lifelong friend.

"He has gone to a public house and told people about his suspicions and they have goaded him, and told him what they would do and that was violence."

Judge Tony Briggs told the man: "No community can afford to have people take the law into their own hands."

He spared the man jail because of his guilty plea, previous good character and the unusual circumstances and ordered he carry out a three-year community rehabilitation order.