A LANDLORD and his brother who were involved in a violent brawl at a Radcliffe pub have been spared jail.

Rezart Balesi, who ran the Lord Raglan pub, used a bottle to beat a man as he lay on the ground and his brother Refail Balesi was seen with, what the prosecution claim, was knife in his hand as fighting broke out near the pool table on the evening of May 2 2015.

At Bolton Crown Court yesterday they both pleaded guilty to affray as their trial was about to start.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Timothy Clayson sentenced both brothers to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years.

“Each of you appear to be happy to get involved in large scale violence,” he told them.

“If you had been convicted by a jury I am not sure anything would have saved you from a prison sentence.

“This type of large scale public disturbance sometimes results in serious injury and that is why I am treating this seriously.”

The court was shown CCTV from inside the pub of the fight breaking out, in which 34-year-old Rezart Balesi, with a bottle in his hand, is seen to thrown punches and attack a man with a bottle.

Many men were seen fighting around the pool table and bar area, with the landlord’s 30-year-old brother Refail Balesi, leaping over chair with, what appeared to be a knife in his hand. He alleges it was a car key.

Geoff Whelan, prosecuting, said that when police attended the pub they seized the hostelry’s CCTV and questioned several people, but none would give statements.

It is not thought any serious injuries resulted from the brawl and no victims have been identified.

When arrested Rezart Balesi, of Wolsey Street, Radcliffe, and his brother Refail, of Crescent Avenue, Prestwich, made no comment.

But in court Kirstin Beswick, defending Rezart Balesi, told Judge Clayson that the fight had started after the landlord had tried to remove people who had been taking and dealing drugs.

A third man, Haxi Husi, aged 25, of Litchfield Drive, Radcliffe, was charged with offences but failed to turn up for the trial. The prosecution offered no evidence against him and he was formally found not guilty.

Miss Beswick said Rezart Balesi, who is married with child, subsequently lost his business and now works evenings in a bar.

Andrew Marrs, for Refail Balesi, said he is unemployed.

Following the fight police were granted permission to temporarily close the pub in Water Street, Radcliffe, claiming the safety of staff and customers was at risk.

Bury Council’s licensing hearings panel subsequently agreed to a police request to shut the pub down.

Evidence presented to the panel claimed that none of the pub’s staff had attempted to inform police about the incident and, when officers did arrive at the scene, attempts have been made to clean up evidence.

During Balesi’s time as the premises licence holder the police alleged that there was a history of incidents of violence at the pub and of staff being uncooperative with officers.

The Lord Raglan did not reopen and, last year, planning permission was granted to convert the building into flats.