TWO men who fought after a birthday party in Darlington have appeared before the town’s magistrates.

Darlington Magistrates’ Court heard today (Tuesday October 16) that Paul Newsome of Bingfield Court, Billingham, went to a party thrown by Jamie Caine for his daughter at his Kempton Court home in Darlington on September 30.

Prosecuting, Blair Martin said that Newsome, 41, was dating 34-year-old Caine’s sister and had got drunk at the party.

When Newsome returned to the sister’s house, Caine was worried about her so went round and got into an argument with Newsome, resulting in a scuffle.

Both men appeared separately at Darlington Magistrates’ Court and both pleaded guilty to using threatening words and behaviour.

Newsome’s defence, Ben Pegman described the scuffle as “handbags” and said that Newsome had come off worse.

Presiding magistrate Rajeev Kumar Devgan gave both men 12-month conditional discharges and ordered them each to pay £85 court costs.