Three brothers were found guilty of violent disorder following violence at an 'Asian meeting place' in Burnley.

The trio were remanded in custody until October 6 for pre-sentence reports by Judge Raymond Bennett, who had earlier hit out at the atmosphere surrounding the trial which had meant police were on duty around the court building throughout the proceedings.

Brothers Anwar, Hussain and Dawood Khan were all found guilty of violent disorder after the three-week trial at Burnley Crown Court.

Anwar, 26, and Dawood, 38, were also convicted of separate allegations of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

The Khans had denied all the charges against them and after the verdicts, their elder brother Ajmal claimed the case had been "manufactured," and said they would be seeking to appeal against the convictions.

Anwar and Hussain, 24, both of Kent Street, Burnley, had earlier been cleared of robbery on the judge's direction. Anwar had been found not guilty of witness intimidation and Dawood, of Canning Street, Burnley, had been acquitted of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

A fourth defendant Zahir Khan, 27, no relation, of Clive Street, was on Thursday found not guilty of violent disorder by the jury. He had told the court he had been present during the trouble at the Friendly, in New Hall Street, on January 11, but had not taken part in violence. He said the Khan brothers had been present, although they all claimed they were not there.

Judge Bennett, honorary recorder of Burnley, had told the court that in eight or nine years sitting at Burnley, he had never seen so many police officers around the court building and the "unhappy situation," did not reflect well on either side in the case.

The judge, who had in the first week of the case jailed a man for contempt of court, said that despite the man's denial, he had since received a letter "speaking in apologetic terms."

Judge Bennett went on:" The constant complaints thoughout this case of intimidation reflect very badly on all participants."

Mark Lamberty, prosecuting, had earlier told the court Anwar Khan had been barred from the Friendly, an Asian meeting place. He had reluctantly left, returned and then hit Mohammed Akbar a hard blow on the head with a baseball bat.

Hussain then tried to strike Mr Akbar with a hammer and Dawood stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife. The court was told that when the Khans were arrested and questioned by police, all claimed they had not been present.