A BELT-wielding thug who was involved in a fight in the street during the early hours of the morning while on a suspended sentence has been spared jail.

George Obasi was cracking the leather accessory like a whip during the fracas near the town centre library.

And after commenting that the 23-year-old had 'brought his temper with him' when he left London for Swindon a judge gave him a 'final chance'.

Instead of activating the jail term, for a scrap on Stoke Newington High Street in which he was stabbed, Recorder Malcolm Gibney imposed another suspended sentence.

Chris Smyth, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that the incident unfolded shortly after 5am on Saturday, March 19.

He showed the court CCTV footage of Obasi, in a group of six to ten youths, marching across towards another man as he passed Rudi's.

The defendant could be seen wielding the weapon at another man, who was also using his belt, before the melee moved back towards the library.

Doormen from nearby clubs stepped in to try to stem the violence which only stopped when two police cars arrived and the defendant ran off.

When he was caught he initially refused to give his name and then insisted to the police that he was acting in self defence.

Mr Smyth told the court that the footage clearly showed he was acting as an aggressor and he was the only one charged by police.

He said Obasi had been put on an eight-month jail term suspended for two years for affray at Snaresbrook Crown Court in May 2014.

During that incident he had been seen fighting in the street in the middle of the day and needed stitches to stab wounds to his face and body.

Obasi, formerly of Morrison Street, Rodbourne, but now of Fairford Crescent, Pinehurst, admitted possessing an offensive weapon, threatening behaviour and having a small amount of cannabis.

Tim Williams, defending, said his client no longer put forward self defence as a reason for what happened and made no excuse for his behaviour.

He said he had moved away from London for a fresh start and is living with his girlfriend, who thinks she may be pregnant.

He is also working as an odd job man in London as well as visiting his father who is ill with prostate cancer.

Deciding not to invoke the suspended sentence the judge said: "Once again we have a situation, albeit in Swindon in March this year outside a nightclub, there you are swinging your belt squaring up to someone else who, no credit to him, is also wielding a belt trying to fight. You were given ample opportunity to leave the scene and you didn't."

Imposing an 18-month jail term suspended for two years he said: "I am minded to give you a final chance."

He told him to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activity requirement, imposed a weekend curfew for three months and told him to pay £350 costs.