A FATHER who pleaded guilty to assaulting a teenager he saw picking on his six-year-old son today hit out at magistrates who punished him and said: "I was just protecting my lad."

Michael Charnley, 37, of Jeffrey Avenue, Longridge, was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £65 costs after pleading guilty to assaulting Anthony Watson, who had threatened his son Angus at John Smith Playing Fields, off Chaigley Road, Longridge.

Blackburn Magistrates were told that Angus, who lives with his mother in Southern Ireland, had come home from taking Mr Charnley's dog for a walk in tears, claiming that a gang drinking in the park had threatened to throw him into a bed of nettles because he had knocked over one of their cans.

When Mr Charnley approached the group, an altercation occurred between him and Mr Watson, causing Mr Charnley to grab the youth by the neck and throw him to the ground before slapping him across the face.

In issuing the punishment, magistrates told Mr Charnley they were not ordering him to pay compensation because they understood the provocation he had felt after his son had been threatened by much older boys, affected by alcohol.

Mr Watson, whom the court was told was "aged between 18 and 20", did not need medical treatment.

Today, Mr Charnley, who lives with his partner and her two children, said: "I know I went over the top and am not allowed to go around hitting people.

"But, as a parent, I was just protecting my own. It would have been different if this gang had been made up of 12 year-olds but it wasn't. It was made up of people I'd reckon to be about 20 and who should be out working, not drinking alcohol in a park.

"This is a wonderful place to live and the people are very friendly but it is being spoiled by gangs of lads."

The court was told that some people in Longridge were too frightened to walk the streets because they felt intimidated by of gangs of youths who congregated at places like the playing fields.

Mr Charnley added: "You always have to be so careful now after what happened to youngsters like Jamie Bugler and Damilola Taylor.

"I accept I shouldn't have done what I did. I just think any parent who saw their child being threatened by a gang of lads three times their age would have done the same.

"This area is getting worse for people like them. My son should have been able to go up to the park with the dog and not be threatened, just because he accidentally knocked over a can."