Father and son facing jail after High Street bar brawl in Leicester city centre

A man and his 22-year-old son are facing prison after a drunken brawl in Leicester city centre that included assaults on two police officers and a serious bottle attack on a doorman by the son. Wayne Connolly, 45, and his son Jack appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

The pair, of Birstall Meadow Road in Birstall, had been out drinking at the Queen of Bradgate pub in Leicester's High Street in the early hours of Sunday, February 5, last year. Violence in the pub spilled out into the street and both men were later arrested.

Wayne Connolly was charged with assaulting a police sergeant and affray. He denied both charges but was found guilty on both counts after a trial at the magistrates court in May this year.

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His son, Jack Connolly, was found guilty at the same trial of assaulting a police constable. He had previously pleaded guilty to charges of affray and causing actual bodily harm to the doorman who was seriously injured in an attack involving a bottle.

Prosecutor Sally Bedford told the court: "It's late-night city centre alcohol-fuelled violence. A member of door staff was badly assaulted with a bottle.

"The brawl spilled out into the street and the police who attended were assaulted." She said the case could not be dealt with by the magistrates, who can only jail people for up to six months.

She said: "The starting point for sentencing for the actual bodily harm is 18 months in prison and for the affray is 12 months.

"There's also the aggravating factor of the significant impact on the member of door staff who was assaulted." She asked for the case to be sent to Leicester Crown Court for sentencing later this month.

Wayne Connolly was not represented by a solicitor in court and Jack Connolly was represented by Frank Dignan, who told the magistrates he had no objection to the case being committed to the crown court.

The magistrates agreed and the case is due to be sentenced at the crown court on Wednesday, July 24. Both men were released on unconditional bail until then.