TWO ‘drunken louts,’ who caused a brawl in Weston town centre after one threatened to stab a group of men, have each been ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Nicholas King, aged 21, of Pleshey Close in Worle, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault and using threatening words to cause fear of violence on February 23.

And Daniel Tottle, aged 18, of St Ives Road in Weston, pleaded guilty to the same charges plus two further counts of assault.

Magistrates at North Somerset Courthouse were told how the incident began with King being drunk in a kebab shop, in St James Street, and having problems with his phone.

When a group of people, which included the victims, asked if he was okay, King called Tottle to join him at the shop.

The 21-year-old told the Weston College student the group had been mocking him, leading Tottle to shout and swear at the group as they walked towards the High Street.

Mike Collins, prosecuting, said: “He (Tottle) shouted things like, ‘come and fight’, ‘I’ve got a knife and I’m going to stab you in the stomach’, and ‘I’m going to stab you in the lung’.

“The defendants followed the group and Tottle pushed one victim, Joseph Bacon, punching him to the head. Mr Bacon held Mr Tottle’s arms down but Mr King punched him in the face and sent him to the floor.

“Victims Adam Harris and Matthew Brown tried to intervene and both defendants punched Matthew to the head, causing swelling and bleeding

“Both confronted Adam, who said he did not want to fight, and Tottle made a kung fu kick to Adam’s throat before he ran for a taxi.

“A police van then arrived, but Matthew had not got in the taxi and pointed out the defendants who were trying to flee the scene. Both were arrested.”

Owen Strickland, defending, said: “This is a case where two people got very drunk and as a result they got involved in this fight, which they effectively caused, and they are ashamed of it.”

Chairman of the bench, John Kane, said: “This was a nasty, violent and totally unnecessary situation that occurred, carried out by two drunken louts and you should be totally ashamed of yourselves.”

Mr Kane sentenced both men to a 12-month community order, with 150 hours of unpaid work each.

He also ordered Tottle to pay £100 compensation to Matthew Brown, £100 to Adam Harris and £50 to Joseph Bacon.

King was ordered to pay £50 compensation to Joseph Bacon, and both were told to pay £85 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.