TWO men are to receive public rewards for their part in bringing a pub manager and his three friends to justice for their "loutish" behaviour in York city centre at midnight.

Peter Dransfield and Gregory Thornton intervened when they saw a confrontation between the quartet and Thomas Gardham, James Allison and another man, York Crown Court was told by Simon Hickey, prosecuting.

The two groups had met near Nessgate at about midnight on September 30.

Judge Paul Hoffman told the quartet: "There is far too much of this sort of thing going on, young men behaving loutishly as each and every one of you did."

He ordered each to do 100 hours community punishment, and awarded £100 each to Mr Dransfield and Mr Thornton for their "intervention and assistance".

Nathan David Bradley, 23, manager of the Three Cranes pub, St Sampson Square, York, refuse collector Stephen Robert Bolton, aged 35, of Ambrose Street, York, and Darren James Fearn, aged 24, of Brunswick Street, York, must pay £150 compensation to Mr Gardham and £280 costs.

All three punched him, said Mr Hickey. Bradley pleaded guilty to assault, Bolton and Fearn to a public order offence on the day of their trial.

Paul Brian Fearn, aged 23, of Alma Grove, York, who had a previous conviction for actual bodily harm, was ordered to do two years community rehabilitation in addition to the community punishment, and pay £150 compensation to Mr Allison and £147 court costs. He pleaded guilty to a public order offence and assault before the trial date.

Barristers for the four said they were hard-working men. The court heard some were acting partly in self-defence.

Updated: 13:07 Saturday, June 30, 2001