Student hit on head with champagne bottle as fighting erupted in Leeds city centre

Anton Johnson was caught on CCTV hitting the man on the head with the bottle on Assembly Street just after 3am on January 1 2018, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Johnson, 37, and his co-accused Kane Clark-Adams, 24, were caught on camera attacking two students during the melee.

The court heard Johnson and Clark-Adams - both of Elford Place, Harehills - had launched a successful music career at a Leeds club that night and had to leave when a fire alarm sounded.

Prosecutor, Louise Pryke said one of the students suffered a cut eye during the incident.

Miss Pryke said Clark-Adams, who was wanted on suspicion of affray, was spotted by police as he was driving on Otley Road at Headingley on January 19 2018.

He refused to open the car doors and police forced entry into his car, where officers found cannabis with a street value of £450 and ecstasy worth £60.

Miss Pryke said on April 28 2018, Johnson - who was on bail for the January 1 affray - was stopped by police on Roundhay Road, Leeds.

Police searched the car he was in and found cannabis with a street value of more than £1,000 and empty dealer bags.;

Johnson admitted affray and possessing cannabis with intent to supply,.

Johnson also admitted breaching a restraining order on May 28 2018 by sending a threatening a threatening text message to his former partner.

Clark-Adams admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possessing ecstasy.

Johnson has 23 previous convictions for 32 offences including assault, robbery, possessing class A drugs and possessing cannabis.

Adams has one previous conviction for possessing cannabis in 2016.

Timothy Jacobs, mitigating for Johnson, said: "The evening for Anton Johnson should have been an evening of celebration.

"He and his friend were launching a successful music career. It was their first big engagement, providing music in the club.

"They were outside the club, the performance had gone well. They were celebrating and had bought a bottle of champagne.

"While in the club they were confronted in an aggressive way by two students."

Mr Jacobs said: "When outside the argument began again."

Mr Jacobs said Johnson was in a coma for two days and had to undergo 13-hours of operations after he was stabbed in the heart during an attack in October of this year.

Joanne Shepherd, for Clark-Adams, said: "He was deeply ashamed and appalled by his actions when he saw the CCTV."

Recorder Maria Karaiskos handed Johnson a 22 month jail sentence suspended for two years and a four month electronically tagged 9pm to 6am curfew.

Clark-Adams was sentenced to a 17 month jail sentence, suspended for two years.

Clark-Adams must obey a two month electronically tagged 9pm to 6am curfew and do 40 hours unpaid work.