A DOG chain, crutch and knife were used during a mass brawl on a hot summer’s evening in a residential area.

Craig Evans, Robert Sargent, and Marty Zahra were involved in “serious acts of violence” on Drovers Mews in the Pill area of Newport.

Some of defendants and another man were left covered in blood and with nasty injuries needing hospital treatment.

They were all part of a group of men and women who had been drinking and/or taking drugs in the street when they fell out.

MORE NEWS: Ex-football coach told boy, 12, ‘I’d love to have sex with you’

The violence erupted at around 6.10pm on Monday, August 7, last year.

Nik Strobl, prosecuting, played CCTV footage which captured the mayhem witnessed by locals, including children.

South Wales Argus: Craig Evans

When Sargent was arrested and taken to the ground by police, he shouted out to them: “Welsh c****!”

He had thrown a blood-stained Stanley knife over a wall, which was recovered by officers.

Evans, Sargent and Zahra appeared at Cardiff Crown Court after they all pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

South Wales Argus: Robert Sargent

Sargent also admitted a racially aggravated public order offence.

Mr Strobl said Evans, 37, of Wye Crescent, Bettws, Newport, has 21 previous convictions for 38 offences which include assault occasioning actual bodily harm, robbery, affray and battery.

Sargent, 46, of Dolphin Street, Newport, has 57 previous convictions for 87 offences.

South Wales Argus: Marty Zahra

These include affray, possession of a bladed article in public and assault of an emergency worker.

Zahra, 44, of Commercial Road, Newport, has 33 previous convictions for 60 offences and these include possession of a bladed article and public disorder.

James Evans for Evans said his client had sustained scars to his hand and back during the violence.

Byron Broadstock representing Sargent told the court: “There were moments when he was trying to defuse the situation.

“He has no hostility to those on this side of the border and his grandmother is Welsh.

“It something that was said in the heat of the moment simply to cause offence.”

Gareth Williams mitigating for Zahra said: “He has been an alcoholic for 30 years and most people involved in this incident were under the influence of something.

“The defendant himself suffered a head injury and his memory of the events is pretty poor.”

The judge, Recorder Alun Eynon-Evans, told the defendants: “You were involved in serious acts of violence.”

All three were jailed.

Evans was locked up for 24 months, Sargent for 23 months and Zahra for 18 months.