CCTV of mass pub brawl played to court as pair escape immediate prison

A bottle was thrown during the incident and furniture was damaged.

Police officers entered the pub and broke up the fighting by using pepper spray, prosecuting barrister Simon Rogers said.

Two men who admitted affray at The Black Boy, a Wetherspoon pub in Newtown, in September last year, escaped immediate sentence at Mold Crown Court yesterday.

Suspended prison sentences were given to defendants Shaun Jones and Christopher Stafford.

They were told by the judge, Mr Recorder Peter Rouch QC, that in his view, it had been quite a determined effort on their part to start a violent episode. He said that they both had the opportunity to walk out – but carried on.

It must have been "a very frightening incident " for people out enjoying themselves, he said.

Jones, 22, of Brimmon Road, Newtown, and Stafford, 26, of Van Road, Llanidloes, each received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Stafford received 12 months supervision, was sent on an alcohol treatment course, and he was banned from entering licensed premises to buy alcohol for six months.

He must pay £1,200 costs. Jones was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work.

He pleaded guilty at the local magistrates' court and was ordered to pay £85 costs.

Mr Rogers said that there was ill feeling between Jones and another man and Jones shouted at him and challenged him to a fight outside.

Stafford joined in and the manager intervened and moved the complainant away.

Later the defendants approached and again challenged him to fight but another customer told them to stop.

Stafford punched that customer, was punched back and ended up on the floor, and that triggered off a mass brawl, said Mr Rogers.

Jones, who had been persuaded to leave the pub, returned , continued to shout, but then picked up a glass and threw it. Fortunately it did not hit anyone.

The police arrived and the fight was broken up by police using pepper spray.

There had been about 80 people in the pub at the time.

A number of glasses had been smashed and a marble topped table had been damaged and its legs were broken during the brawl.

Jonathan Austin, for Stafford, said that his client had pleaded guilty at the crown court in March but sentence had been delayed pending the trial of a third man who had been later cleared.

Geraint Jones, for the defendant Jones, said there was no justification or excuse but his client had a perceived dispute with another man.

There was an argument, Jones adopted an aggressive stance but he did not strike anyone.

He was fairly easily persuaded to leave but when he heard what was happening inside he returned.

By that time the melee had started and he very foolishly picked up a glass and threw it.

That was his act which contributed to the affray, he said, and he was genuinely remorseful.

Both were said to be working and references were handed in.