AGED only 26, Christopher Stephen Bell has notched up a criminal record bearing at least 35 offences including violence, battery and threatening behaviour.

His latest crimes have landed him with a three-year prison sentence for two offences of assault, occasioning actual bodily harm, witness intimidation and criminal damage.

He pleaded guilty to the two violent offences at the start of his trial.

Sitting at York Crown Court, Judge Paul Hoffman said Bell, of Navigation Road, York, posed "a significant risk of causing serious harm to the public" and "represented a significant danger in the future".

John Edwards, prosecuting, told court that Bell had approached Philip Belsey, in Wain's Road, Acomb, on May 27, 2005.

With "clenched fists", he accused Mr Belsey of trying to use his girlfriend as a prostitute.

Mr Belsey, who denied the claim, went into his flat as someone restrained Bell.

Bell approached him again later, and "head butted Mr Belsey, causing him to fall, then he punched him twice in the face, with blows to the ribs".

Philip Brayshaw, a neighbour and taxi driver, drove Mr Belsey home from hospital where he was treated for an eye injury.

On their arrival, Bell threatened to set fire to Mr Belsey's flat if he did not drop the charge.

On June 24, another man, aged 18, followed Mr Brayshaw into his flat on Wain's Road, shouting "Are you starting on with my cousin?".

Mr Brayshaw manhandled him out into the hallway, but Bell struck the taxi driver on the head with a bottle of vodka.

Bell and his co-attacker forced Mr Brayshaw into his bathroom and the bath, punching him. Bell was shouting "get the bottle"."

Mr Brayshaw put Bell into a head lock while his other assailant continued to punch him. Mr Brayshaw suffered multiple bruises, an injured hand and nose.

Outside the flat, Bell threw a wheelie bin at Mr Brayshaw's taxi.

Tony Kelbrick, mitigating, said Bell admitted head butting Mr Belsey, but not punching him. He said the threats were "a result of continuing anger rather than any deliberate attempt to intimidate".

He said Bell went to the 18-year-old's assistance in Mr Brayshaw's flat, but went "too far". He did not remember using or having a bottle.

Mr Kelbrick said because Bell's girlfriend had left him he would be able to move away from people whom he had been with when he had got into trouble.

Judge Hoffman said: "You are 26. You have a long record of offences of violence, battery, common assault, threatening behaviour, violent behaviour in a police station and assault occasioning actual bodily harm."

He received 18 months in prison for each assault, consecutive, after which he will be supervised for four years; nine months, concurrent, for witness intimidation and two months, concurrent, for criminal damage.

Updated: 10:03 Saturday, April 22, 2006