TWO brothers will be spending Christmas behind bars after each was jailed for nine months for street violence yesterday.

York Crown Court was told Lee and Jonathan Best became involved in a punch-up in Scarborough's Newborough, during which victim Victor Norris was knocked out by "one almighty punch", and spent two-and-a-half days in hospital recovering.

Lee Best, 25, and brother Jonathan, 24, both of Westway, Eastfield, Scarborough, admitted causing an affray last April, during which unlawful violence was used to make others fear for their safety.

Both accused had taken to drinking heavily after a road crash in 1998, which left them haunted, said their barristers.

A car driven by Jonathan Best, and in which his brother was a passenger, swerved to avoid an animal in the roadway and crashed. Tragically, another man, their best friend, was killed.

Prosecutor David Bradshaw said problems began in the New George pub, in Newborough, between one of the brothers and Mr Norris.

Judge Paul Hoffman said: "It is no comfort to the victim to know that you put it down to drink.

"Brawling and violence in the street will not be tolerated and you will both go to prison."