A HALLIWELL man who became involved in a brawl at a betting shop must carry out unpaid work.

Yasin Marviadi was one of three men who previously pleaded guilty to affray following the incident at the William Hill bookmakers on Halliwell Road, on June 29 last year.

Adam Handley was cleared by a jury of using unlawful violence following a trial in April.

Previous hearings at Bolton Crown Court were told that Handley had attended a demonstration on the steps of Bolton Town Hall on June 29 last year, which was attended by more than 100 other protestors, and that he walked home via Halliwell Road afterwards.

The court heard that while Handley was walking home, at about 3.45pm, an Asian man pulled up in his car, and the pair began to trade insults.

Handley was seen to become agitated and challenged Marviadi and another man to come into the bookmakers, which was covered by CCTV cameras.

The two men entered the shop and were ordered to leave by the manager, but they returned shortly after and a brawl ensued.

The men began to punch and kick each other and tables at the back of the premises were overturned.

A third man, who had been driving past the premises, also entered the shop and joined in the fighting.

A crowd gathered outside the shop and police, concerned about public order, arrested Handley, the three defendants and another man, who later had charges against him dropped.

At Bolton Crown Court, Marviadi, aged 24, of Witney Close, Halliwell, was sentenced to a community order for 12 months, ordered to complete 70 hours of unpaid work and must pay a surcharge of £60.

Addressing Marviadi, Judge Timothy Stead said: "In some ways, I think the less said about what happened the better.

"It's quite clear to me that there were mitigating circumstances on your behalf and for that reason a more merciful direction is being taken by this court."

At a previous hearing Rizwan Umar, aged 28, of Rawson Road, Heaton, and Zakir Chana, aged 24, of Martindale Gardens, Halliwell admitted affray.

Umar was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years and ordered to do 90 hours unpaid work plus pay £1,000 prosecution costs and a £100 victim surcharge.

Chana was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 40 hours unpaid work, pay £750 prosecution costs and a £100 victim surcharge.