A PIZZA takeaway owner embroiled in a 'turf war' has avoided jail after an incident in which he brandished a knife.

Batal Bolakar, 45, who owns Pizzaland in Thornton-le-Dale, was given a suspended sentence at York Crown Court after pleading guilty to affray and not guilty to threatening someone with a bladed weapon.

Judge Paul Batty QC, the Recorder of York, said that Bolakar had been friends with Vedat Eroglu, the owner of rival pizza shop the Cabin in Sherburn, near Scarborough. "You each had a pizza shop business," he said, "and all was well for a period of time.

"It appears that you and he reached an agreement whereby you wouldn't deliver pizzas in the region of Sherburn and vice versa.

"He believes you breached that agreement."

Rob Galley, prosecuting, said: "There was, to a degree, a turf war between the two takeaways."

Judge Batty said that rival pizza shop owner Mr Eroglu had gone to confront Bolakar in the early hours of October 7, but that Bolakar had responded by grabbing a "large red-handled knife" from the magnetic strip on the wall.

"You met him brandishing a weapon, a vicious carving knife, and issuing blood curdling threats," Judge Batty said, adding: "It's clear feelings were running high."

The court was shown CCTV footage of the incident, which showed Bolakar waving the knife before being restrained by his son.

David Camidge, for Bolakar, said: "He is a family man, a hard worker. This was a spur of the moment thing.

"He's behaved in a way that he is not proud of at all. He is someone who is unlikely to trouble the courts again."

The probation officer agreed, saying: "He spoke of his genuine remorse and apologised for his behaviour."

She added that he has been living in the UK since 2004 and has been employed in the catering industry all that time.

Judge Batty, delivering the sentence, told Bolakar: "You have no previous convictions. You didn't take the knife to the scene, it was part of your kitchen, and the brandishing was on your side of the counter, not the public side.

"You are a family man, normally peace loving and quiet. I'm not going to deprive of your liberty but this was a serious business."

He gave him a sentence of 18 months, reduced by a third to 12 months, but suspended for a period of two years. If he commits no further offence in this time, he will not have to serve it. He was also given 150 hours community service.