Men's city centre brawl 'left people frightened'

Michael Slee and Aarron McKenzie fought in the centre of Sunderland on 23 November

Two men began brawling in a busy city centre in front of shocked passers-by, a court has heard.

Michael Slee, 43, and Aarron McKenzie, 36, started their fight in a side street before it spilled out into the centre of Sunderland in November, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Slee was topless and covered in blood and McKenzie had various injuries to his face when police arrived to arrest them, the court heard, with Judge Sarah Mallett saying it was "frightening" for members of the public.

Both men admitted affray with McKenzie given a suspended prison sentence and Slee's sentence deferred.

'Messing about'

The fight was caught on CCTV at about 16:00 GMT on 23 November in the centre of Sunderland, prosecutor Rachel Butt said.

In the footage, the men could be seen hitting each other in an alleyway beside some bins before going out into a busy street and continuing the brawl.

Slee's top was torn off during the altercation and he fell to the floor, with McKenzie continuing to land punches on his head and face, the court heard.

Witnesses reported hearing one of the men saying he would "punch the head in" of the other and they were shocked by the sudden and vicious violence, Ms Butt said.

In mitigation, Slee's barrister Jason Smith said the men had been "messing about" and "shadow boxing" before McKenzie knocked Slee, of Wraith Terrace in Ryhope, backwards and the fight erupted.

McKenzie's barrister Nick Lane said McKenzie, of Ridley Street, had been out socialising in Sunderland when words were exchanged between the two men, who did not know each other, leading to the violence.

'Witnesses shocked'

Both men apologised for their "unacceptable" and "unedifying" behaviour in a public place and there were no hard feelings between them, the court heard.

Slee, who had 50 offences on his criminal record, was subject to a suspended prison term at the time imposed for a non-dwelling burglary, while McKenzie, who had 26 offences, was in breach of a community order.

Judge Mallett said the fight moved from a "secluded spot into the middle of Sunderland city centre" at a time when there were many members of the public about.

She said there "could easily have been families and children" witnessing the violence and it was "very frightening", adding it was no surprise witnesses reported being shocked.

McKenzie was jailed for nine months, suspended for 18 months, with a four-month curfew.

The sentence for Slee was deferred to a future date to allow ongoing drug rehabilitation and probation service work to continue.