A Jehovah's Witness who admitted using a dirty tricks campaign to evict his brother from his home was yesterday told by a sheriff to read his Bible.

Sheriff Kevin Veal urged brotherly love and understanding on David Denovan after the lay preacher admitted cutting off the power and water supply to his brother's residential caravan.

Denovan, 42, has launched a legal battle to evict his brother, Bob, 38, from a caravan parked in his garden in a dispute over a building project.

But the minister in the Jehovah's Witness fellowship went too far when he cut off power and water to the caravan home of his brother, his wife and their three children.

It was claimed in Forfar Sheriff Court that the elder brother had delayed in implementing a court order to restore the power and water supply.

Yesterday, Sheriff Veal told the feuding brothers they should solve their dispute by following the example set in the Bible.

''There is a lesson to be drawn from a story in St Matthew's Gospel where two brothers go to court over a dispute and are advised to settle their differences amicably.''

Sheriff Veal added: ''It is appaling that this feud has been allowed to come to court, it seems that these men are incapable of agreeing on anything. Their heads should be knocked together until they settle their differences.''

The brothers were partners in a Dundee-based building firm but fell out over business.

Three years ago they bought a #95,000 house in Wellbank, Angus. David and his family moved in and they planned to build another home in the garden grounds for the younger brother and his family.

The court heard that around #15,000 of work still requires to be done to the new house which remains a shell.

In the meantime, Bob and his family have been living in a caravan next to their intended new home. But as tempers frayed, the brothers fell out.

The brothers are due to return to court next month.