FOUR men who caused "mayhem" in a Farham town centre pub, beating up two bouncers and causing nearly £500 of damage walked free from court last Friday.

But a fifth, Jamie Carver, 22, of Aldershot, was jailed for 12 weeks at his own request, after he asked to be sent to prison immediately as a punishment for his actions.

Billy Stevens, 20, Michael Thornett, 19, Christopher Flack, 20, and Jamie Seal, 20, all received suspended sentences despite the judge's fears that a light punishment would encourage other youths to act in this "disgraceful" manner.

The court heard that the men were drinking with others in The Slug and Lettuce on January 11 this year when the chaos broke out.

Simon Shannon, prosecuting, said: "One am is closing time. At that stage the door staff noticed drinks being thrown by a group of men and they were told to leave and some of them did so."

Because the bouncers were clearing the premises there was no-one standing on the door and some of those who left started to come back in.

Vincent Bashir, one of the staff, took hold of Flack to eject him from the pub and noticed he was being followed by about five other men, the court heard.

Mr Shannon said: "They forced him down the side of the pub and began throwing punches at him. Mr Flack and Mr Thornett were involved in this assault.

"The act ended by Mr Bashir freeing himself and running away. He was pursued by members of the group but they didn't catch up with him."

Another member of the door staff, Oliver Howes, had put his arms across the entrance to try to stop the men following Mr Bashir but the group forced him outside.

Stevens, Carver and Seal then attacked him, throwing punches at him.

Another bouncer managed to grab hold of Mr Howes, who was bleeding heavily, and managed to drag him back into the pub and lock the doors.

Mr Bashir escaped with a bloody nose and a grazed face while Mr Howes was left with cuts to his face, a black eye and a deviated septum.

Mr Shannon said: "The group then started throwing missiles at the pub and Mr Flack kicked in one of the glass panels on the door."

The police had been called and Flack, Carver and Thornett were arrested in a nearby car park while the two remaining men were caught up with at their homes.

The mob claimed they were trying to protect Flack from the door staff, but later admitted that the violence they used was disproportionate to the force used to eject him.

Flack and Thornett, who were involved in the attack on Mr Bashir, pleaded guilty to affray.

Stevens, Seal and Carver, who attacked Mr Howes, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

Sarah Nayler, defending Flack, of St Augustus Close, Aldershot, said: "Mr Flack did not punch Mr Bashir, there was no direct violence."

She added that the force used to eject him was a "provocation" to the group, but "not an excuse".

It was said that all the men agreed that their behaviour was completely unacceptable and expressed remorse.

Adaku Oragwu, in defence of Seal, of Hill View Road, and Stevens, of The Chantrys, both in Farnham, suggested they had learned their lesson and recommended a suspended sentence was imposed.

Recorder Laurence West replied: "Do you think a suspended sentence order would reassure the people of Farnham that steps were being taken by the legal authorities to protect people in the town centre from behaviour such as this?"

Ms Oragwu claimed that their behaviour made them "feel sick" and sending them to prison would mean they were associating with hardened criminals and could prove a slippery slope.

Rupert Hallowes, defending Carver, of The Avenue, Aldershot, asked for him to be jailed. He had requested his bail was withdrawn when he entered his guilty plea four weeks ago and therefore he will be released in a fortnight.

Robert Pawson, defending Thornett, of Church Road, Aldershot, who has a young family, added: "What he stands to lose is so much that an immediate custodial sentence would be disproportionate."

Recorder West, sentencing at Guildford Crown Court, said: "The way you behaved on this night was wholly disgraceful and wholly uncalled for.

"There was mob-handed violence by you five which would have frightened any person nearby.

"I have to carry out a balancing act which balances your behaviour and the rightful fear from the public about what's going to happen in the future.

"I have to balance that with the fact that you are all of previous good character and with your personal circumstances."

Each of the defendants was ordered to pay £150 compensation to their respective victims, £95 to The Slug and Lettuce and £60 costs.

Stevens, Thornett, Flack and Seal were sentenced to 24 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months with 12 months supervision and 150 hours unpaid work.