Luton street brawls: Men jailed over 'extremely violent' confrontations

Idnan Akbar, Mohammed Arshid and David Barnett had a "brazen and blatant disregard for law and order", police said

Three men have been jailed after street brawls between rival groups armed with knives, baseball bats and hot oil.

They were sentenced to between 14 and 23 months for violent disorder outside a takeaway in Saxon Road, Luton, on 16 September 2018.

At least seven people were seriously injured and a 15-year-old boy was left in a critical condition.

One of the men was also convicted of being involved in a similar clash nearby on 7 July 2019.

The first incident involved three rival groups, two from Luton and one from Bedford, wielding weapons and throwing bricks at one another.

Luton Crown Court was told a similar clash took place in Blenheim Crescent in July, where police later found a knife, taser, axe and metal stake.

The fight in September 2018 involved members of three rival groups

Mohammed Arshid, 37, and Idnan Akbar, 28, both of Blenheim Crescent, Luton; and David Barnett, 24, of Napier Road, Luton, were convicted of violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon.

Akbar and Barnett were each jailed for 14 months.

Arshid also admitted possession of a knife in connection with the second incident and was jailed for 23 months.

Pictures of the brawl outside a takeaway in Luton appeared on social media

Det Insp Craig Laws said: "These were two large-scale and extremely violent disorders which we absolutely will not tolerate.

"Like so much knife crime, gun crime and other serious violence, these two incidents were linked to rival gangs and organised crime, with little risk to the wider public.

"That being said, all of those involved have shown a brazen and blatant disregard for law and order, with people suffering serious injuries as a result."