A builder has been jailed for a year after two late-night scuffles in Banbury town centre.

Paul Jones, 25, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court on July 2 to affray and threatening behaviour. Paul Mitchell, prosecuting, said that on November 12, Jones was involved in an argument with a group of people outside a kebab shop in High Street at 1am.

Jones left the shop but returned shortly before 2am holding a car jack. He crossed the road to the shop waving his arms and said: "I've come to sort it out. Come on Banbury, have a go now."

Jones then became involved in heated discussions with several people outside the kebab shop. He was arrested the following day.

On December 22, Jones got involved in another scuffle outside the Slurping Toad pub 100 yards from the kebab shop. A bouncer broke up the fight and Jones became abusive towards pub staff.

In relation to the first incident, Nigel Daly, defending, said Jones had been angry because a friend had just been beaten up in a nightclub. Mr Daly added that one of the people Jones was arguing with on both occasions had unjustifiably spread rumours that he carried a gun. The man had made up the story because he felt Jones had swindled him in a cut-price cigarettes deal, he said.