TWO cousins have been jailed for a drunken brawl which left one man with a broken jaw and cheekbone and the other unconscious in hospital with a fractured eye socket.

The brawl, involving Kenny and Andrew Beal, who both admitted assault, began after a row over cans of beer at a get-together following an engagement party.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Kenny Beal, 23, of William Street, Auckland Park, County Durham, had "gone mad" and repeatedly punched the host.

As he was being thrown out, his cousin, Andrew, 30, of Margaret Terrace, Eldon Lane, knocked out a fellow guest in Main Street, Close House, near Shildon.

Prosecuting, Chris Baker said guests had been invited back to the house, where Kenny Beal complained about the beer.

Paul Cleasby, for Kenny Beal, a landscape gardener, said he was "somewhat immature" and had a short fuse.

Aisha Wadoodi, for Andrew Beal, said he had shown genuine remorse, adding: "He is not someone who drinks and goes out to misbehave."

Both men jointly admitted being in breach of a two-year conditional discharge imposed at Durham Crown Court in August 2002.

Kenny Beal was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay £1,000 compensation. Andrew Beal was jailed for four months, with £500 compensation to his victim.