A Pudsey man cleared of murdering his wife was today behind bars.

Keith Hall, 45, was sentenced to four years in prison at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday for attacking his former neighbour Christopher Bennett.

Hall, of Moorland Drive, was acquitted of killing his 39-year-old wife Patricia in March 1994 after the trial judge ruled that his alleged confession to a policewoman was inadmissable as evidence.

He was alleged to have strangled his wife after a row and disposed of her body.

But Hall claimed she had driven off in the family car after the argument and that he had never seen her since.

No trace of Mrs Hall has ever been found and the inquiry into her disappearance remains open.

Yesterday, the court heard how Hall smashed Mr Bennett's head with a brick during an argument between the two men.

Mr Bennett was left with 14 stitches.

Mr Bennett and his wife had lived next to Hall in Moorland Drive when he was accused of killing his wife in 1992.

At his trial in March 1994, the jury heard how Hall had allegedly confessed to killing his wife to an undercover policewoman called "Liz".

The detective had secretly recorded their conversations when she dated him and acted out the role of his girlfriend.

But at the end of the nine-day trial, Hall, who used to run a mobile business selling groceries, was acquitted.

The judge ruled that the evidence was obtained in unreliable circumstances.