A MAN who headbutted a pub landlord in the aftermath of the England versus Argentina World Cup game has escaped prison.

Harrogate magistrates yesterday decided against sending Nigel Wade to jail after he admitted assaulting David Johnson, licensee of the Market Tavern, Knaresborough.

Caroline Midgley, prosecuting, said Wade was in the bar on the evening of June 7 behaving in a loud and aggressive manner.

When he refused to leave, Mr Johnson went behind the bar to call the police. Wade followed him and headbutted him in the face.

Court chairman Hugh Simpson said: "This was a very nasty incident. You had no real reason to assault a man doing his duty. The injury was minor, but that was pure chance.''

Wade, 24, a window company worker, of Market Place, Knaresborough, was ordered to do 75 hours of unpaid community work and pay £70 costs and to give Mr Johnson, who has now left the pub, £100 compensation.

Andrew Tinning, in mitigation, said Wade and Mr Johnson were involved in an incident a week earlier, in which Wade had been assaulted.

Mr Tinning said that when he asked Wade to leave, Mr Johnson grabbed his wrist, which had recently been operated on and which still had stitches inserted. Wade reacted to the pain he was caused