TWO North-East men who were working on the Isle of Wight when they attacked a guitarist in a pub had their jail terms more than halved by senior judges yesterday.

Shaun Michael Donovan, 26, of Keswick Street, Hartlepool, and Christopher Michael Pegg, 33, of Ferwood Avenue, Hartlepool, were jailed for nine months on November 20.

They pleaded guilty at the Isle of Wight's Newport Crown Court to assaulting Ian Hampton, occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr Justice Holland, sitting with Mrs Justice Hallett, yesterday decided nine months was too long for the joint assault and cut their terms to four months.

The men worked as cable-pullers and at about 3pm on February 9 last year, they began drinking in a pub in Sandown. At about 7.45pm, a local band started to set up their instruments.

But Donovan started to interfere with a guitar and got into an argument with the guitarist, Mr Hampton.

Mr Hampton said Donovan later tried to hit him but missed and, at one stage, put him in a headlock.

A pre-sentence report had recommended the men be conditionally discharged, but the sentencing judge said this sort of violent behaviour required a jail term.

While agreeing, Mr Justice Holland said the offence merited a shorter sentence and cut the terms to four months.