A STREET brawler and his family were shocked when a judge announced he would be going to prison.
Shane Johnson got involved in a second street fight outside a Birmingham nightclub despite being on police bail and under investigation for an earlier fight, Worcester Crown Court heard.
Syed Ahmed, prosecuting, said the 29-year-old's first fight took place in August 2021 in Evesham.
The court heard Johnson initially tried to step in to be a peacemaker in the large street fight that had broken out.
But Johnson became aggressive and tried to "finish off" the victim to protect his friend.
He took the victim to the ground and punched the victim to the head.
The victim suffered lumps to his head and grazes to his knee, and was left feeling anxious.
Johnson was arrested for that attack in September 2022 but despite being on bail it didn't stop him from offending again.
Johnson was outside a Birmingham club at 4am on November 3, 2021, when two people were trying to get in.
My Ahmed said, unprovoked, Johnson attacked one of the two punching them to the head causing him to go to the ground.
The prosecutor said the victim's friend appeared to say something before Johnson swung and hit him to the head.
Johnson's attention turned back to the first victim kicking him in the face, knocking him unconscious.
The first victim suffered a lump to his head, while the second victim said he had suffered pain which had affected his hearing.
The prosecutor said Johnson had 29 previous convictions for 45 offences including for public order and assaulting an emergency worker.
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Johnson, who appeared in the dock to be sentenced for two counts of ABH and a common assault at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, (August 23), was represented by Andrew Davidson.
The barrister told the court both involvements in the fights had been "short-lived" with no pre-planning.
Mr Davidson said Johnson was now a "different man" horrified by his past crimes.
He said Johnson had moved to Lyne Burn Caravan Site in Morpeth, Northumberland, from his previous address in Borrowdale Drive, Worcester, to get away from those he used to associate with.
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"He has a wife, in April his son was born," the barrister said.
"He is working hard to provide for them."
The barrister asked for any prison sentence to be suspended.
But when Judge Nicolas Cartwright announced it had to be immediate jail Johnson had his head in his hands, while there were sobs from family in the public gallery.
The judge said it had to be immediate custody as the defendant had been involved in two fights in a public place.
Johnson, who was jailed for 16 months, shouted out to the public gallery he loved his family before being taken down.
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