Sunderland brothers ended up in hospital - then court- after two-stage street fight

Two bickering Sunderland brothers ended up in hospital after bashing each other in a street when a drinking session turned to violence.

Andrew and Christopher Haikney woke up the neighbourhood in Helvellyn Road, Hillview, with their early morning antics.

Between them they were heard to shout in anger, “He’s hit me with a brick” and, “I’ll ram this phone down your neck”, a court was told.

But a neighbour took a grim view of their behaviour on Wednesday, May 17, and called the police who arrived to find the siblings at peace.

However, that was shattered when they then kicked off again, leading to their arrest, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

Andrew Haikney, 38, of Blind Lane, and Christopher Haikney, 31, of Comet Square, both Silksworth, pleaded guilty to causing fear of unlawful violence.

Prosecutor Sarah Malkinson said: “A witness was at home when she was woken by a commotion in the street.

“She looked out of her window and heard shouting and saw one male punch another. She called the police.

“She then heard shouts of, ‘He’s hit me with a brick’, followed by, ‘I’ll ram this phone down your neck’.

“One man had injuries and they continued to fight each other.”

The court heard Andrew Haikney had two public order offences to his name and was jailed for four weeks in May for causing criminal damage.

His brother has five previous offences from six offences, the last being in 2006.

Gerry Armstrong, defending both men, said each suffered from mental health problems which they were seeking professional help to treat.

He revealed Andrew Haikney had asked to be jailed for the criminal damage matter in the hope he could get mental health help while behind bars.

Mr Armstrong added: “All was perfectly fine between them, they had been drinking, and neither can remember what happened.

“They had a fight, they stopped, and they sat on a wall, then they had another fight and then stopped. They both went to hospital.”

District Judge Zoe Passfield fined Christopher Haikney £180, with £85 court costs and a £72 victim surcharge.

She fined Andrew Haikney £200, with £85 court costs and an £80 victim surcharge and told him the offence should have been dealt with on the day he was jail