THREE men who brawled in Saffron Walden town centre – one of them dressed as the cartoon character Buzz Lightyear – have been spared immediate jail sentences.

Instead Martin McKay, 19, of Pilgrim Close, Great Chesterford, who was wearing the costume, Carl Braybrooke, 20, of Rogers End, Ashdon, and Daniel Sparrow, 23, formerly of Cherry Garden Lane, Newport, but now Carnack Green, South Ockendon, have all been given suspended sentences.

They were involved in what a judge at Chelmsford Crown Court branded a “frightening attack” outside the Temeraire pub in the High Street on December 18, 2011.

McKay and Sparrow pleaded guilty to affray. McKay also admitted an offence of causing grievous bodily harm to Angela Davis who suffered a fractured wrist when she was pushed over.

Braybrooke pleaded guilty to common assault on Jack Roberts and to breaching his anti-social behaviour order imposed by magistrates in April 2011. Mr Roberts suffered injuries to his shoulder and bruising and swelling to his nose, cheek and eye.

All three defendants were each given a 12-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work, 18 months supervision and a three-month electronically tagged curfew.

Braybrooke was ordered to undertake an anger replacement training programme and the other two have to attend a Thinking Skills course.

Recorder John Caudle told them: “It was an unpleasant, frightening attack and a brawl outside a pub.”

The judge said that Braybrooke and Mr Roberts had traded punches but not all his injuries could be laid at Braybrooke’s door.

Prosecutor Peter Gair said Mr Roberts and friends came out of the Temeraire about 1.30am and an altercation was taking place. He tried to intervene to calm things down but was punched in the face by Braybrooke. Mr Roberts punched back to try to stop the continued assault on him. The incident then escalated.

At an earlier hearing the prosecution said Braybrooke’s violence was the spark for the disturbance.

The court was told that Braybrooke, who had been walking home and wasn’t with his co-accused, claimed Mr Roberts punched him first.

McKay claimed he pushed Angela Davis away. He said he didn’t punch Mr Roberts back or kick him but did accept he pushed him several times.

Sparrow said he was not involved in the initial incident but when he failed to get a taxi and saw the altercation continuing he joined in.