Punch attacker from East End Park who knocked woman out in mass brawl between Leeds and Wakefield groups at Elland Road boxing event is jailed at Leeds Crown Court

Barry Brattley punched a woman in the face and knocked her out cold when mob violence erupted among around 50 rival supporters of a Leeds and Wakefield boxer.

It happened at Leeds United's Centenary Pavilion on Elland Road on the night of February 18 2017.

Ian Cook, prosecuting, said Brattley, of Pontefract Street, East End Park, Leeds, punched out at a number of people, including a woman who had hit him from behind.

Mr Cook said: "He retaliated by punching her with force, which appeared to knock her out.

"He was then 'high tackled from his left. He then threw a number of chairs as the Wakefield group was forced back."

Brattley, 33, admitted violent disorder when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court on September 27 2017.

Sentence was adjourned to November 30 2017, but Brattley failed to turn up for that hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Brattley was not arrested until May 27 this year.

Robin Frieze, mitigating said: "He is deeply ashamed about hitting a woman. He just reacted instinctively having been himself struck. He then accepts that he threw some chairs.

"He wishes to apologise. He is ashamed about his part in it and ashamed about the melee that clearly caused a lot of fear and distress and injured some people."

Brattley has 10 previous convictions for 25 offences including possessing a handgun and ammunition, burglary, aggravated vehicle taking and battery.

Jailing Brattley for 20 months, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told him: "This was a serious incident of violent disorder.

"It lasted for about 15 minutes. Women and children were present.It was a chaotic and frightening scene."

The court heard families had to climb into the boxing ring for safety and other youngsters had to be ushered into a cloak room

Around 700 tickets were sold for the event in which 11 amateur bouts were to be staged throughout the evening.

There had been an 'exchange of insults' on social media between supporters of rival boxers from Leeds and Wakefield in the run-up to the event.

Organisers were aware of the trouble and efforts were made to separate the two groups on the night.

At the end of the fight the bell sounded and there was an incident between one of the boxers and his opponent’s trainer which acted as a 'catalyst' for the violence.

A total of 23 people have now been convicted in connection with the violent disorder and jail sentences totalling more than 21 years have been handed out.