ground with a broomstick outside a private "gambling den'' in Hamilton.

But his teenaged accomplice, who started the fight, was spared a jail term after his mother told Magistrates' Court he was "like a different person'' when he was drunk.

Prosecutor Sgt. Earl Kirby said Hilbrow Jordan, 71, suffered a broken jaw and lost some teeth in the incident. He had to spend two days in hospital.

Noting there was "far too much violence in the community'', magistrate the Wor. John Judge sentenced 21-year-old Damion Smith to six months in prison.

The fight broke out around midnight last September 16 in the pool room of the Fish Hut on the corner of Angle and Court Streets, Sgt. Kirby said.

Lamel Steede, 19, of Angle Street, had gone to the private club to get some beers for his friends who were celebrating a birthday downstairs at the Spinning Wheel nightclub.

The teenager stopped to watch a group of men playing cards, but they told him to go away.

Sgt. Kirby said Steede began arguing with the men and a scuffle broke out.

Steede punched Jordan, and by this time, Sgt. Kirby said, Steede's friend Damion Smith had come to his assistance.

Both struck Jordan and attempted to push him down the stairs. Wielding broomsticks, they pursued Jordan, beating him "relentlessly'' until he fell onto the street outside the Fish Hut, Sgt. Kirby said.

The two men ran off while members of the public helped Jordan to his feet. But Jordan was attacked again by Steede and Smith, who jumped on him on his way home. They beat him with the broomsticks until Steede's mother called him away.

Both Smith and Steede pleaded guilty yesterday to causing grievous bodily harm.

The court heard that Smith, who was unrepresented, had a past conviction for causing bodily harm.

Steede's lawyer Ms Keren Lomas suggested a social inquiry report, saying the incident had been out of character for her client. When he was not under the influence of alcohol, he was a "perfectly nice young man,'' she said.

She noted the offence had taken place in a "gambling den'' in the back of town, and while Jordan had certainly not deserved the beating, he had been in a place where gambling and the drinking of alcohol was taking place.

Steede's mother, Linda Barnett, said her son was very helpful and often helped her pay bills. "When he's under the influence, he's like a different person,'' she said, adding he only drank alcohol when he was with "certain friends who encouraged him''.

When asked if he had anything to say in his defence, Smith told the court he had tried to break up the fight but was punched as well.

"I was just defending myself,'' he said.

Magistrate the Wor. John Judge told Smith and Steede it had been a "grossly unfair contest''. Jordan was 50 years older than they, he said, and Smith was "considerably bigger than his victim''.

Noting Jordan had suffered "horrific injuries', Mr. Judge sentenced Smith to six months in prison.

He told Steede he would have jailed him as well if he had had a previous conviction for violent behaviour.

"There is far too much violence in this community and the courts have a duty to protect the public,'' he said.

He ordered a social inquiry report for Steede, saying he had a community service sentence in mind. He ordered him to reappear in three weeks.