A man who got caught up in an armed fight between to rival gangs of men has walked free from court.

Darwin Dishad was caught on CCTV armed with a hoover hose when a car full of men turned up at a house in Middlesbrough where Diar Islami Mohammed had posted a challenge to the other group on social media.

Teesside Crown Court heard how other people involved in the fracas were armed with machetes and bats but the 27-year-old played a minimal role in the confrontation.

Timothy Jacobs, prosecuting, said trouble erupted in the early hours of July 1 last year after Mohammed issued to the online threat.

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He said a car full of rivals turned up at an address on Bishop Street, Middlesbrough, to be greeted by the defendant along with a group of other men.

Mr Jacobs said a number of weapons were involved in the confrontation, including machetes, knifes and bats, but the only person to suffer any injury was Mohammed himself.

Dishad, of Hatforth Avenue, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to affray for his role in the armed confrontation.

The judge heard how four other defendants had already been sentenced for their role in the fracas – Mohammed, of Adderbury Grove in Hull was jailed for 11 months; Hawdang Tofiq, of Mayfield Street, Hull, was jailed for ten months; Omed Abdullah, of Bush Street, Middlesbrough, was jailed for 11 months; and Chernair Hussain, of Lord Street, Redcar, was given a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work attached.

Tabitha Buck, mitigating, urged the judge to pass a similar sentence to Hussain for the 27-year-old father-of-one’s ‘naive and stupid behaviour’.

She added: “He fully understands that when you enter a group engaged in this behaviour you then become a part of that group.

“He hadn’t used any violence towards any other individual.”

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Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Dishad to a 12-month community order with 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days attached.

He said: “You emerged rather late to the event armed yourself with the hoover pipe, you didn’t hit anybody with it and didn’t get close enough to hit anybody.

“When someone asked you for the hose, you handed it over and started walking back to the house.”