A DISPUTE over a missing burger van ended with a 25-year-old man hitting another man with a metal trolley jack handle.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Ajaz Khan had reacted out of frustration because he felt his attempts to trace the missing trailer were being thwarted.

Khan, of Poole Street, Blackburn, was convicted in his absence of assaulting Sarfraz Rafiq.

He was made subject to a one month curfew order and ordered to pay £100 costs.

Charlotte Crane, prosec-uting, said the trailer had been stored on the drive of Mr Rafiq's home in East Park Road but had gone missing.

"Khan blamed Mr Rafiq and had previously accused him of stealing it," said Miss Crane.

"On this occasion he called at the aggrieved's home late at night and Mr Rafiq said he did not want to talk about the trailer because it was late.

"At that point Khan hit him across the upper arm with a trolley jack handle and there was a scuffle."

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said the burger bar trailer belonged to Khan's brother and when they went to retrieve it after the winter it had gone.

"There was no explanation as to where it had gone and he became exasperated at the lack of co-operation," said Mr Blacklidge.

"He wanted the family to help him to trace the trailer but they weren't interested."

Mr Blacklidge said there had been a number of unanswered telephone calls and on the night of the incident Khan saw Mr Rafiq driving home and had decided to confront him about the issue.