TWO men thrashed a motorbike with golf clubs because of a dispute with the owner.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Robert Andrew Emmett and his father-in-law Robert Beaumont claimed they had been severely provoked prior to the "Basil Fawlty" style incident.

Emmett, 20, of Sandringham Road, Darwen, and Beaumont, 48, of Blackburn Road, Darwen, pleaded guilty to causing £500-worth of damage to the motorbike belonging to Bernard Holmes.

Beaumont was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £250 compensation and £85 costs.

Emmett was sent to Preston Crown Court for sentence after the court heard he was in breach of a suspended sentence imposed there.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Mr Holmes had ridden his Kawasaki motorbike to visit friends in Higher Church Street.

He saw Emmett, and there was a slanging match which lasted a few minutes.

Shortly after he saw Emmett and Beaumont carrying golf clubs, but refused to talk to them.

A little while later he heard a loud crash and looked out to see both men attacking his bike with golf clubs.

A local publican also looked out and saw three, or four men taking turns to hit the motorbike, which was lying on the floor.

Robin Phoenix, defending, said Emmett and his partner had suffered greatly as a result of the attentions of a group of men including Mr Holmes.

He said the couple, who have a young child, had phoned the police on numerous occasions, but nothing had ever been done.

On the night of the incident the police had been and gone, and the abuse and jibes had started again.

"My client went over to try and reason with these people, but they were having none of it," said Mr Phoenix.

"In the end my clients took out their frustration on this motorbike and they were arrested.

"It could easily have been the other people who appeared in court."