A FORMER cage fighter who hit a man over the head with a chair during a ‘very violent and very nasty’ incident has been jailed for eight months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how ‘agitated’ Philip Palmer, 28, was seen to pick up a heavy wooden chair, repeatedly hit victim Liam Crossley's head and throw punches at him, in the trouble at The Turf Hotel, last October.

Palmer, who pushed a female bouncer to the floor and hit another woman several times in the face, shouted: “I'm Philip Palmer. Do you know who you are dealing with?”

The hearing was told police arrived to find Mr Crossley bleeding profusely from the nose and he had also suffered bumps to his head and cuts. Palmer and his co-defendant David Riley, both said to be ‘heavily intoxicated’, were detained at the scene by police after they watched CCTV footage of the disturbance.

Palmer, of Russell Court, and Riley, 28, of Oporto Close, both Burnley, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm. Palmer, who also pleaded guilty to affray, was sent to jail for eight months.

Riley received four months in prison, suspended for a year, with 140 hours’ unpaid work and must pay £250 compensation. He had no previous convictions.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said Mr Crossley and a friend had tried to help when a man appeared to have been assaulted, but the group then turned on them.

The leaseholder of the premises described the incident as ‘very nasty and very violent’ and said he knew Palmer as the defendant’s father was the leaseholder of the pub next door.

Mr Parker said staff members tried to break up the trouble and Palmer pushed the female bouncer and hit another woman.

Police arrived and stopped the defendants at the doors of the pub. A number of others ran away and were never apprehended.

An officer went inside, watched the CCTV footage and both were detained. Both defendants had blood on their clothing, although they were not injured.

The hearing was told the defendants were interviewed by the police and, for the most part, Palmer exercised his right to silence.

When shown the CCTV footage, Riley accepted he was on it.