Violent Bassetlaw brothers brawled in social club after staff refused to serve them

Edward King, aged 57, was told he’d had too much to drink but others ket buying him drinks at Harworth Comrades Social Club on the night of March 18, said prosecutor Lucy Woodcock.

When his brother David, aged 55, was also refused he went behind the bar and shoved the barmaid aside.

Her son approached him and David punched him in the head - throwing punches until he got him on the ground.

Edward also got involved and started punching the same victim, before trying to smash an empty whisky bottle over his head. He hit another male witness.

David punched another woman in the face and pinned her against a wall before running home where he was arrested later. Edward was arrested at the scene.

Ms Woodcock said David played a leading role in the altercation by using the bottle to try and inflict an injury on the barmaid's son, and this has a starting point of 18 months in custody.

Magistrates in Mansfield were told he has 16 previous convictions for 28 offences, including three for violence – but the most recent is from 2002.

Edward has eight previous convictions for 18 offences - also with three for violence dating back to 1991.

Their defence solicitor said there were impact statements from the brothers' four victims, but thankfully they were only left with minor bruising, a black eye and a split lip.

“With credit for their prompt guilty pleas, I would argue that it could be dealt with here,” she said.

But magistrates decided the potential sentences exceeded their sentencing powers and committed the pair to Nottingham Crown Court on December 12.

Edward, of Gilbert Road, Bircotes, admitted assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm and assault by beating.

David, of Devonshire, Harworth, admitted two counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm and one of assault by beating.

They were bailed on condition they keep away from the social club and have no contact with their four victims.