A man was hit with a piece of wood during an early morning brawl in Huddersfield town centre.

Scott Jones left the area after striking the man – but then returned with a metal pole which he swung towards another member of his group.

He was caught after staff monitoring the town with CCTV cameras called police.

Jones, of Dunford Road in Holmfirth, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour.

He claimed that he was fearful after two of his brothers were involved in stabbings previously.

Alex Bozman, prosecuting, told Kirklees magistrates that the incident happened at 4.30am on November 2.

The camera staff were alerted by people from McDonald’s in Kirkgate about a disturbance out in the street.

Mr Bozman said: “As a result the cameras were fixed on this and showed a disturbance between a group of six males and two females.

“The footage showed a female being pushed to the ground and Mr Jones carrying a piece of wood.”

Jones used this to hit the male arguing with the female.

The male retaliated and threw punches towards Jones, 28, and there was a further scuffle.

Jones then walked away around the corner, returning a short while later with a 4ft metal pole in his hand.

Mr Bozman said: “He was swinging it over his back and a different male from the same group came towards Jones.

“Words were exchanged and he aimed the pole in the direction of him, misses him and walks off through the town centre.”

Jones, who was then stopped by police, said that he had been drinking in the Camel Club since 11pm.

Sonia Kidd, mitigating, said that her client was out with a friend who had recently been the victim of a stabbing as had two of his brothers.

She told magistrates that one of the individuals who had been involved in the stabbing was with the group he encountered outside.

Mrs Kidd said that Jones then lost contact with his friend inside the club and when he left he walked into the incident where the female had been struck.

She added: “In the first instance he’s tried to ward people away but he accepts he’s stepped over the mark.

“He’s then walked away and can’t remember where he got the metal pole from – likely it’s a shower pole from a skip nearby.”

The court heard that Jones suffered a black eye in the fight.

Magistrates sentenced him to a 12-month community order as a direct alternative to custody.

This includes 200 hours of unpaid work.

Jones must also pay £85 costs and £60 victim surcharge.