Bolton men jailed for armed fight on Bromwich Street, The Haulgh

Daniel Llewellyn, 34, of Dingle Walk Bolton, and Michael Allen, 33 of Bradford Street, Haulgh, were both involved in an armed fight between five people which broke out on Bromwich Street on May 29 last year.

Bolton Crown Court heard how the men's actions had put innocent bystanders at risk including a crowd of worshippers leaving a mosque, a woman walking a dog and a small child.

Prosecutor Chloe Fordham said: "The fight spilled out into the street opposite a mosque, with worshippers going about their lawful business and also including a woman with a dog and a child with a parent or carer.

"It looked to be a warm evening and there were plenty of people out and about."

The fight broke out on Bromwich Street, The Haulgh on May 29 last year. Picture Danny Crompton

Ms Fordham told the court how Llewellyn had been the instigator of the fight, after having been previously been attacked in Bradford Street Park alongside Allen in a park by three other men.

Llewellyn and Allen then followed them to Bromwich Street, intending to attack them in turn.

Llewellyn armed himself with a saw he took from a nearby garden and attacked one of the men as he left a block of flats before the fight escalated and Llewellyn was held down and beaten with a table leg by the other three.

During this time, Allen, who was shouting a causing a disturbance, had a knife in his backpack but did not take it out.

The police arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and arrested the men.

The fight occurred during a busy evening

During police interviews, Llewellyn initially claimed that he had taken the saw only to use in self defence. But a trial which concluded earlier this week convicted him of possession of the saw and violent disorder, while Allen pleaded guilty to possession of a knife.

Defence counsel Hugh Barton argued that Llewellyn's actions were "out of character" and said that since he had previously been attacked in the park he "cannot properly be said to be the instigator."

Brett Wilson, defending Allen, also pointed out that though his client had admitted to having the knife, he did not use it during the fight.

He said: "To his credit, in his bag was a knife and he simply did not use it, he could have taken it out, used it and made things significantly worse but he did not do that."

Both defence counsels also said their clients had each struggled with drug addiction and homelessness and intended to make productive uses of their time in prison.

Recorder Richard Wright QC said: "You were plainly anticipating serious violence."

He added: "You were looking for trouble and you found it."

Llewellyn was jailed for three years for violent disorder and possession of a knife, while Allen received a sentence of 18 months, also for violent disorder.

The other three men involved in the fight are set to be sentenced on February 4.