TWO Newport brothers who pleaded guilty to affray after trying to defend their cousin were given suspended sentences yesterday.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how David Fletcher, 28, of Bryn Bevan, Brynglas, and Antonio Borg, 27, of Wye Crescent, Bettws, were involved in an incident outside the Premier store in Barrack Hill on January 30.

CCTV footage was shown at an earlier court hearing which showed how Borg punched Damien Sawyers who did not immediately go to the ground until Borg kicked his feet away.

David Martin, defending both David Fletcher and Borg, said Borg had the opportunity to go back and kick the man but he did not.

The court heard how there was further punching between the group of men which came to an end when the police arrived.

Mr Sawyers was unsteady on his feet and had a bottle.

He suffered a number of cuts but these were not serious.

Mr Martin said Borg and David Fletcher arrived on the scene believing there was a knife and that their cousin, Craig Fletcher, was in serious trouble.

The court heard how Mr Sawyers died the following day but this was not as a result of what the two men did.

He died of drug abuse, according to Judge William Gaskell.

Judge Gaskell described Craig Fletcher as a “feckless man” who had been involved in a scam over £20 and that the brothers believed he was being held at knifepoint but that a knife was never found.

He said it was a “deplorable incident of public disorder”.

Borg and David Fletcher were each sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.

David Fletcher was also ordered to be under probation service supervision for two years and to do a skills programme specified by probation.