A MAN who attacked two soldiers in a North Yorkshire pub in a row over a relationship with the teenage sister of his girlfriend was jailed yesterday.

Cable-puller Andrew Riddler, who had twice gone on the run after the attack in the Ripon pub's pool room in October last year, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, two of failing to answer to bail and one of using threatening behaviour provoking fear of violence.

Peter Scott, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates the two soldiers, Joshua Perry and Philip Ladd had been with colleagues from the Royal Engineers unit at Ripon's Claro Barracks, when Riddler, 28, arrived on the scene.

He had asked for Mr Perry after hearing he was having a relationship with his girlfriend's sister, and when the soldier identified himself he was punched in the face.

Mr Scott said Mr Ladd had gone to his friend's aid and he too had been attacked by Riddler as several other people joined in the fracas.

When Mr Ladd was knocked to the ground Riddler began kicking him and had to be pulled away by the landlord. The fight then spilled over into the street before police intervened.

In mitigation, David Cam-idge said Riddler, of Skelldale Caravan Park, Ripon, had reacted to the relationaship between a soldier and a teenage girl - a situation which he and others considered inappropriate.

In jailing Riddler for six months, court chairman Gordon Charlton told him he had not complied with community penalties imposed in the past for similar offences, so only prison was appropriate.