A man shot his brother-in-law in a bitter family feud, a court heard yesterday.

James Smith, 32, fired both barrels of his shotgun, injuring Owen Moloney in the leg.

The attack occurred outside Smith's caravan home at Thirsk, North Yorkshire, after Mr Moloney drove up in his car from Leeds.

Prosecutor Graham Reeds said that Mr Moloney was hit above the left knee by the first blast at close range, and the other barrel was fired into the air.

Mr Moloney was taken to the Friarage Hospital , Northallerton, where 15 pellets were removed, but some were still embedded in his limb.

Smith, a father-of-four, told police that he had bought the shotgun two days earlier to frighten off Mr Moloney.

Tim Stead, defending, said that there had been bad blood for some time between the two men and their wives

Judge Peter Fox QC jailed Smith for two years at Teesside Crown Court and ordered the confiscation of the shotgun.

Smith, now of Rokeby Street, Stockton, admitted charges of wounding, possessing a shotgun with intent to cause fear of violence, and possessing a firearm and ammunition in public on October 31 last year.

Judge Peter Fox QC told him: "It is completely unacceptable, even when fearing violence oneself, to fire a shotgun. You knew this man was close to you in the dark and that he was in danger of serious injury."