A 24-year-old who assaulted a market trader in while drunk has been warned by magistrates he faces prison if he offends again.

Nathaniel Blackburn grabbed the man's gilet and pushed him at around 8.35am on Skipton High Street on April 27, heard Skipton Magistrates' Court.

Blackburn had been acting inappropriately, the court heard today, picking things up off the stall and putting them down.

The market trader told Blackburn to go away and he ran off down High Street. The police arrived and the market trader pointed the officers in the direction Blackburn had gone.

The court heard Blackburn had been on a community order at the time for a separate offence which had included alcohol abstinence and monitoring, but the tagging equipment was still to be fitted, because of delays in the system.

Blackburn, of West End Drive, Hellifield, admitted assault by beating.

The court heard in mitigation that Blackburn accepted he had grabbed and pushed the market trader, there had been no injury.

Magistrates told Blackburn that he was already subject to quite an intense community order and that would remain.

He was told his drinking at that time in the morning was unacceptable and that if he offended again the courts would have no option other than send him to prison.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £48 and costs of £85.