THREE men have each been sentenced to 21 months in jail for their part in a brawl at a workingmen's club that led to the death of a pensioner.

Father and son Michael Henry Royal, 42, and Michael Douglas Royal, 19, both of Geneva Road, Darlington, and Trenton Hewitt, 23, of Moulton Way, Darlington, were involved in fighting during a Christening party at the town's Haughton Workingmen's Club.

During the disturbance, John Lacy, 65, a former landlord at Darlington's Globe pub, who had just recovered from cancer, was hit and suffered a fractured skull. He died ten days later in hospital.

Yesterday, at Teesside Crown Court, Judge Peter Armstrong said the offence of affray admitted by the three men, all of whom had previous convictions, was one of the worst he had heard.

The court was earlier told there was not enough evidence to bring charges of manslaughter.

The brawl took place on May 4 last year, when Michael Henry Douglas, who was drunk, jumped on to the stage in the concert room at the club.

Christopher Knox, prosecuting, said that when committee members went to remove him, he punched one of them.

A fight then developed in which the co-defendants were "vigorously involved". During the incident Mr Lacy was punched in the face.

Mr Knox said the defendants denied attacking anyone, but said their accounts were inconsistent with those of witnesses.

Afterwards Mr Lacy's son, Mark, said: "A man has died because of all of this and we still need as a family to get to the bottom of what happened."

Douglas Royal, 68, father and grandfather of the Royals, said there was no excuse for fighting.

He said: "I was there at the Christening and there were lots of people involved.

"I have known Mr Lacy for 20 years and he did not deserve to die, but my son is no fighter. I am shocked they were jailed."