SEVEN people have been jailed following a pub brawl described as "terrifying mass violence," by a judge after which a Middlesbrough man died.

A further four people were also convicted for their role in the violence at the Park Hotel, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday.

The fight involved two groups of friends who all knew each other and the "four minutes of mayhem" involved glasses, bottles and pool balls being thrown around the hotel bar.

Following the trouble in October, 2013, Benji Bolsenbroek, who was out celebrating the birth of his son, Kianey and was swept up in the violence, died within hours. However prosecutors did not accuse anyone of having responsibility for Mr Bolsenbroek's death and investigations are continuing. The exact details of what caused his death have not been made public.

The Northern Echo:

Mr Bolsenbroek's sister, Tenji Wesa, said the family would continue their fight to "get justice for Benji".

She said: "I speak for all of us in Benji's family to say we're relieved that this is over and we are grateful that due process has been followed. 

"We claim that Benji's death was not a natural death. We want justice."

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "We must remember that this was the night when new father Benji Bolsenbroek died and our thoughts and sympathy remain with his family. Police enquiries into Benji's death are ongoing and we cannot comment further."

There was shouting, cheers and tears in the packed public gallery at court, where arguments between families had broken out earlier in the day, as sentence was passed on the violent disorder offences.

Cleveland Police officers were deployed both outside and inside the court to ensure order.

The court heard that the trouble in the hotel started when one of Mr Bolsenbroek's circle of friends, Christopher Bennett, bumped into one of the other group, Michael Kime at about midnight after everyone involved had been drinking. Kime refused to accept Bennett's apology and the fight broke out.

Individual acts of violence included Mark Dobbing picking up a table which he used as a threat, Lorren Crossling throwing two pool balls, Richard Parkes throwing glasses, Vicki Kilpatrick pulling a woman's hair and dragging her to the pool table where she was further attacked.

The court heard Jenny Futo had little involvement but did throw a glass. Michael Kime used a chair in the melee and others threw punches and kicked out. At an earlier court hearing the brawl has been described as "four minutes of mayhem."

Judge John Walford addressed all the 11 accused before sentencing saying such violence was "a matter of huge concern to the general public".

The Northern Echo:

Mark Dobbing

He said: "I've put out of mind the death of one of those involved. I sentence you purely for your contribution towards the dreadful scenes on CCTV.

"The mass violence is terrifying... Of course I know, as you all know, that innocent people, not least the bar staff that night, had the ordeal of witnessing all was going on all around them."

Three people, Paul Kime, 26, of Daleville Close, Beechwood, Middlesbrough, his brother, Michael Kime, 28, of Lambton Road, Grove Hill, Middlesbrough and Vicki Kilpatrick, 26, of Woodville Avenue, Beechwood, were found guilty of violent disorder following a trial last December at which five other people were acquitted.

Both the Kime brothers were sentenced today to 18 months and Kilpatrick was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work.

Lorren Ashleigh Crossling, 24, of Dalevile Close, Beechwood, was jailed for eight months. Hayley Crossling, 21, of Forber Road, Saltersgill, Middlesbrough, was also jailed for eight months.

Christopher Bennett, 24, of Chatterton Drive, Thornaby, was jailed for 18 months, one year for a drugs offence and six months for violent disorder.

Mark Dobbing, 28, of Landsdowne Road, Thornaby, was sentenced to 18 months. Richard Parkes, of Thorndyke Avenue, Beechwood, was jailed for six months. Demi-Louise Bishop, also of Thorndyke Avenue, Beechwood, was given a six month suspended sentence and 200 hours unpaid work.

Andrew Sloan, of Coral Grove, Stockton, was sentenced to 12 months suspended with 200 hours of unpaid work.

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Andrew Sloan

Jenny Futo, 25, of York Road, Linthorpe was given a community order with one year's supervision and 200 hours of unpaid work.