A PROMISING young golfer has been jailed after a family feud exploded into violence.

William Adamson and two men broke into the family home of Liam Whiteley in the early hours of September 13 last year, following an argument with Mr Whiteley in a York club.

During the fight that followed, one of Adamson’s companions hit both Mr Whiteley and his father, Ian, on the head with half a brick. But the men were eventually forced out of the house in South Bank, York, and fled. Police caught Adamson nearby.

Recorder Andrew Lees, at York Crown Court, called the attack “premeditated”. He said: “No sentence can be justified other than a custodial sentence.” He jailed Adamson, 18, for one year.

Adamson, an apprentice electrician of Bishopthorpe Road, York, pleaded guilty to two charges of wounding. His barrister, Andrew Semple, said he had played representative golf at city and county level.

Bashir Ahmed, prosecuting, said there was a “history” between Liam Whiteley and Adamson. The two encountered each other in a city-centre club late on September 12.

Five minutes after Liam Whiteley arrived home in the early hours of September 13, Adamson’s group smashed the front door window. Ian Whiteley opened the front door to find out what was going on and the three men outside started punching him. The man holding the brick attacked Mr Whiteley and when his son tried to intervene, he was also hit. Both Whiteleys suffered minor head injuries and the father also suffered a swollen ankle.

Mr Semple said: “This ridiculous family feud has been put to bed.” There had been no incidents since. He said Adamson did not know who the other men were, except that one was the boyfriend of a friend of his girlfriend.

He said Adamson had not intended to injure anyone and said his actions may have been affected by the alcohol he had drunk that night. He had since cut down on his drinking. He said he spent most of his spare time on the golf course.