A FORMER leading local politician may have to face a court again after a jury was unable to decide whether or not he attacked his lodger.

Paul Wright, 48, had faced an allegation of assault at Burnley Crown Court, which had heard claims he attacked Joseph Madden after coming home drunk from a night at the pub.

The jury was unable to reach a verdict after several hours of deliberations and was discharged by Recorder Maurice Green.

Wright, of All Saints Close, Burnley, had denied assault causing actual bodily harm during a three-day trial. The case was listed to mention next Thursday.

The court had heard claims Wright, who was Liberal Democrat candidate in the General Election of June 2001, was said to have left Mr Madden injured after lunging towards him and trying to punch him.

Wright, said to have been "deranged and threatening", was alleged to have claimed he could kill someone with his bare hands and that he was a hard man, the jury was told.

The defendant told the court he held a police commendation, had caught a man who robbed an old lady and at the time of the alleged offence, was hoping to join the Special Constabulary.

Mr Madden, who had lodged with Wright for about eight months, ended up suffering cuts to his face after the alleged assault last October, the prosecution alleged.

Wright said claims that he had said he could kill and was hard were "ridiculous", and the sort of things schoolboys said to one another.

He said Mr Madden had "launched" at him after pinning him to a door and he had done nothing to cause him to do that.

The defendant, who has no criminal convictions, wiped away tears as he gave evidence and apologised to the jury for being emotional, telling them: "It's not like me."

The court heard he told police he could not understand why he finished up being pinned to the ground in his own home or how he ended up being the one who got locked up.

Questioned by his barrister Tim Storrie, the defendant said he was amazed Mr Madden was hurt and if he got cut, he got cut when he was trying to push him off.

Asked by Mr Storrie: "Did you attack Joseph Madden?"

Wright replied: "No, I didn't. I wouldn't attack him or anybody else."