TWO young men have been jailed for a taxi queue fight that left a third man with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

Between them Jake Duckworth and Kyle Grayson-Laird knocked the victim down several times as they repeatedly punched him in front of passers-by in Duncombe Place, York, said John Hobley, prosecuting.

The incident ended with Grayson-Laird punching the victim to the ground where he hit his head and lay unconscious.

He was kept in hospital for a couple of days and five days after he was discharged had to be readmitted because he had headaches and vomiting.

After seeing CCTV of the immediate aftermath of the brawl, the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, said: “It looks like something out of the wild west.

“The public are fed up and sick to the teeth of young youths in drink brawling in the street.

“It wastes NHS resources, it brings shame on the city and themselves."

He told Grayson-Laird and Duckworth: “When somebody ends up in hospital as a result of a fight... the only appropriate punishment that can be achieved is by an immediate period of imprisonment so you learn your lesson and others know what to expect.”

He jailed both for 14 months. Neither had previous convictions, though Grayson-Laird had a caution.

Mr Hobley said both had been drinking since mid-afternoon.

The fight was in the early hours of August 18, York Crown Court heard.

Mr Hobley said a taxi driver refused to take Duckworth, Grayson-Laird and another person because one of them was carrying a McDonald’s meal.

The judge said the victim’s group then took the taxi and the victim got into the taxi.

Mr Hobley said an argument broke out between the victim’s girlfriend and a woman with the defendants.

“One of the defendants leant into the taxi and began to punch him (the victim),” said Mr Hobley.

Both defendants deny being the one who leant into the taxi.

The victim got out of the taxi and during the fight that followed, a taxi queue marshal restrained Duckworth.

But Grayson-Laird managed to release him and Duckworth rejoined the fight.

Electrician Grayson-Laird, 26, of Cornlands Road, Acomb, pleaded guilty to wounding.

Electrical engineer Duckworth, 26, of Kingsway West, Acomb, pleaded guilty to affray and assault.

In a personal statement, the victim said the incident in August had left him so traumatised he hadn’t been able to go out for months.

“Because of the brain injury I now feel vulnerable,” he said.

He had been unable to drive for several weeks and had been unable to start a new job on schedule.

Victoria Smith-Swain for Grayson-Laird said he was ashamed of his actions.

“He has learnt a salutary lesson from this and has changed his behaviour. He doesn’t want to drink. He doesn’t want to get involved in any incident with the potential to escalate.”

For Duckworth, Kristian Cavanagh said he was remorseful.