A TELEVISION actor who knifed three men in a street fracas in Clayton-le-Moors has gone to jail while his brother, who was armed with a meat cleaver, has walked free from court.

Burnley Crown Court heard how John Norwood, 22, had a previous conviction from Scotland for culpable homicide - the equivalent of manslaughter - when his step-uncle fell to his death from a verandah during a scuffle.

Norwood attacked a pub landlord at Clayton-le-Moors and left one victim with seven stab wounds. His younger brother Derek, 17, who was disarmed by their mother, had had a short, sharp shock of three weeks on remand in custody.

The court had been told how two of the complainants, Anthony Oldham and Jason Lee Prestage, had previous convictions for violence, and the melee started after an incident involving Derek Norwood in a pub.

The brothers were then put out of the pub and made their way home to Rutland Close, Clayton-le-Moorsbut were chased by Mr Oldham and others.

The brothers then went out with weapons and John Norwood attacked Mr Oldham, Mr Prestage and Mr Fred Bardsley, licensee of the Oddfellows pub.

John Norwood, now living in Glasgow, was sent to prison for two years after admitting three counts of unlawful wounding. Judge Raymond Bennett said he may have gone out to frighten people with the knife, but inflicted injuries on the three victims.

Derek Norwood was given 60 hours community service, after pleading guilty to having an offensive weapon.

Roger Green, prosecuting, said last April, Mr Oldham was in the Lamb Inn, playing pool with Derek Norwood and two others, and it was suggested Mr Oldham and the defendant should play another game for £1,000.

A row developed and Derek Norwood called his brother John. A scuffle broke out, Mr Oldham was injured and the brothers left the premises.

Mr Oldham ran after the defendants, who went into their home and armed themselves, John Norwood with a knife and Derek Norwood with a meat cleaver.

John Norwood lashed out with the knife, cutting Mr Bardsley's nose.

Mr Prestage told John Norwood to tell his brother to calm down, but John Norwood stabbed him in the right upper arm. Mr Green said the brothers ran after Mr Oldham in Devonshire Drive and John Norwood stabbed him seven times on the head, neck and shoulder. Mr Oldham was found to have suffered a cut below the eye and seven stab wounds. Mr Bardsley had a skin deep cut on the bridge of his nose and Mr Prestage's arm was cut.

Anthony Cross, defending John Norwood, said he had been in custody four-and-a-half months. He was an actor who had been in various plays on television and was now doing a job for which he was over qualified. He was a young man of considerable ability and wanted to put the incident behind him.

Sara Dodd, defending Derek Norwood, said he got the meat cleaver from Slinger's, where he worked.

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