A LOCAL man set upon a soldier enjoying a night out in Harrogate, the town's magistrates were told yesterday.

Catherine Silverton, prosecuting, said the soldiers were standing at the junction of Oxford Street and Cheltenham Parade early on the evening of November 23 when they were attacked without warning.

Miss Silverton said Tony Brett, 21, approached the group and started a fight which was captured by closed-circuit television cameras. Another man was seen waving his arms around in a threatening manner. Brett then picked up a metal shopping trolley and threw it across Oxford Street.

Minutes later, as the soldiers walked across Station Parade, Brett appeared from an alley and hit one of them in the back of the head before he was also hit, by a man wielding a large piece of wood.

Brett, of Claro Avenue, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and apologised to the court.

He was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £40 costs.

A charge of threatening behaviour against a 16-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was adjourned until May 7.