TWO friends came to blows after a day out drinking with a woman.

The town's magistrates heard Joseph Kayitera grabbed the other man by his dreadlocks and dragged him to the floor where he repeatedly punched him.

The court was told the incident started because Kayitera thought the other man had designs on his girlfriend and wanted him out of the way.

Kayitera, 37, of Turnpike Green, Salford, was convicted in his absence of assaulting Rudolph Danha and pleaded guilty to damaging a double glazed window belonging to him.

He was made subject to a community order with 80 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £350 compensation to Mr Danha.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said when the group had returned to Mr Danha’s home in Blackburn there was a disagreement and Kayitera was asked to leave.

He refused and as Mr Danha was phoning the police he was grabbed by his dreadlocks and pulled to the floor.

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“The woman who witnesses the incident said he was then punched about 10 times,” said Mr Robinson.

“One of his dreadlocks was pulled out and he had numerous bumps and bruises.”

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Kayiteria had pleaded not guilty to the assault and had he turned up for his trial would have argued he acted in self defence.

“He felt the other man wanted him out of the way because he fancied his girlfriend and he accepts there was a fight but he feels the other man was the first aggressor,” said Mr Taylor.