A FATHER of three who got "wound up,"and attacked a man and a woman in a club has escaped a jail term.

Burnley Crown Court heard one of Derek Calvert's victims, Stephen Smith, 23, had deliberately been bumping into the defendant and his wife on the dance floor and there had been previous confrontations between the two men.

Calvert, 41, a carpet inspector, of Fowler Heights Close, Blackburn, was given 160 hours community punishment and must pay £300 compensation, after admitting assault causing actual bodily harm and common assault.

Sentencing him, Judge David Pirie again hit out at the amount of late night violence in the area and added if Calvert had kicked his victim in the head, he would have gone to jail. He was effectively of good character.

The court was told the defendant punched Mr Smith once in the face and when he went to the ground kicked him about the body.

The complainant suffered bruises over the bridge of his nose and upper lip.

Calvert hit Deborah Burke in the face with his hand and although it was not a "full blooded " punch, her nose started to bleed and she also received small bruises.

Elizabeth Dudley-Jones, defending, said while Calvert was unable to express remorse towards Stephen Smith, the defendant almost immediately apologised to Miss Burke and had had no intention of causing her any injury whatsoever.

She said Calvert accepted he became wound up and lost his temper after Mr Smith provoked him.