A MAN appeared in court after he accused another man of 'killing his father' in an altercation in a shop.

Benjamin Fisher admitted to using threatening and abusive words towards James Williamson when the two saw each at the Co-op shop in Ulverston.

The 44-year-old property manager and father admitted the offence as well as another charge of assaulting a police officer when he appeared before the bench at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court.

Fisher and the other man were said to have shared a 12-year-old history, with animosity dating back to when the victim worked for the defendant's father.

Prosecutor Jack Troup told the court the incident happened on May 6 at the Priory Road store.

He said: "At around 7.30pm Mr Williamson was at the Cooperative store in Priory Road.

"It seems he and the defendant are known to each other.

"The victim worked for his father for 10 years, which resulted in some bad feeling between them.

"When Mr Williamson was in the Co-op store he saw the defendant come storming up to him shouting.

"The defendant was shouting at Mr Williamson saying, 'You killed my father - come out here and I will kill you. I will leather you'."

"The defendant had both of his fists clenched and was waving his arms around."

Mr Troup said police were called and Fisher was then arrested by officers and was 'struggling' while being apprehended.

"He was shouting and swearing throughout," Mr Troup added, before describing the assault on the officer, PC Edmondson.

He said: "PC Edmondson told him to sit up. While she sat behind him the defendant was demanding they loosen the hand cuffs."

The court was told that Fisher kicked out at the police officer, making contact with her foot but not causing any injuries.

In mitigation, Karen Templeton explained how the defendant had first become upset with the victim.

She said when Mr Williamson was an employee father's property company, he took the company to a tribunal while Fisher's father was dying of cancer.

Days before the incident in the Co-op, she said the victim was laughing next to the car Fisher was in, angering him.

Addressing the court, she said: "He very much regrets what happened. There is a lot of bad history between the two of them.

"On this occasion he had been drinking as it was his birthday. Mr Williamson had smirked at him and he got very upset.

"He accepts he was out of order."

Miss Templeton said Fisher denied making a threat to kill.

She said that Fisher had also not meant to kick out at the police officer and had become agitated after an officer knelt on his leg, to which he had a long-standing ligament injury.

"He had a snap in his ligaments on the inside of his leg when he was 16 and it 'pops out' when you put pressure on it.

"An officer had been kneeling on and when it was released he kicked out his leg.

"His intention was to straighten his leg," she said.

Magistrates sentenced Fisher to a curfew, forcing him to stay at his home in Priory Road between 7pm and 7am for eight weeks.

He was also told to pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.