A JUDGE called three young men 'stupid little children' and 'drunken idiots' after a fight outside McDonald's in Worcester.

The aggressor, Kyle Thornelow, was kicked in the head and had to be taken to hospital after the two 'peacemakers' eventually turned on him outside the restaurant in The Foregate, Worcester.

Judge Jim Tindal had already sentenced three other young men earlier in the week for another affray at the same restaurant, that one committed against the restaurant's door staff.

Judge Tindal, who sighed in obvious frustration, said Thornelow could easily have been seriously injured or killed after Reggie Hathaway kicked him in the head during the fight in the early hours of December 30, 2016.

Thornelow, who at one point removed his top, was taken to hospital after the fight and photographs of his injuries were handed up to the judge.

Thornelow, aged 23, of Cartmel Close, Worcester, Reggie Hathaway, aged 22, of Canal Side, Worcester and Ryan Lea, aged 22, of Balmoral Road, Stafford, all admitted a charge of affray and were sentenced together at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday.

The CCTV of the incident in the early hours of the morning was also played from two different angles, showing Thornelow start the fight and at one point give what the judge described as a 'Nazi salute'. The judge accepted there was no racial element, however, to the fight.

Paul Whitfield, prosecuting, said a scuffle began between Thornelow and Lea with Hathaway trying to defuse matters.

During the fight Thornelow punched Lea in the face as a number of punches are thrown by both men, some of which miss.

The fight ends when Thornelow is taken to the ground and Hathaway kicks him in the face. Lea then punches Thornelow 'half a dozen times' to the arms and head.

Thornelow has previous convictions for criminal damage from January 2, 2015 and May 30, 2015 for which he received a short community order.

Hathaway received a referral order for battery when he was a youth and Lea was a man of previous good character.

Judge Tindal said: "You saw that footage and you saw all the people that were trying to get in and out of McDonald's while you were fighting like the stupid little children that you are.

"You saw at one point there was a girl walking into McDonald's who nearly got knocked as a result of what you were going.

"It's because of behaviour like yours that many young people think twice about whether they go out in case drunken idiots like you decide, for whatever reason, to fight.

"Mr Thornelow, it's pretty obvious that you started it. Both Mr Hathaway and Mr Lea can be seen on the CCTV essentially trying to make peace, including Mr Lea pointing you to the CCTV camera. You just continue going for whatever reason.

"You get kicked in your head as a result. A lot of people will think you only have yourself to blame for it.

"I take it you have learned your lesson from this whole business."

The judge sentenced Thornelow to six months in prison suspended for two years and ordered him to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days. He must also make a £100 contribution towards costs.

The judge said Lea had punched Thornelow while he was on the ground. "That was a cowardly and pathetic thing to do" he said.

He also sentenced Lea to six months in prison suspended for two years, ordering him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

The judge also placed him on an electronically tagged curfew for three months during which he must remain indoors at home between 8pm and 6am. Lea must also pay £100 costs.

The judge told Hathaway that 'the courts really take kicking seriously'. He added: "You could have seriously injured or even killed Mr Thornelow."

The judge said it had been 'a moment of madness on your part' which was 'out of character' but acknowledged there had been a 'considerable amount of provocation' from Thornelow.

He sentenced Hathaway to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, ordering him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

Hathaway was also placed on a tagged three month curfew between 8pm and 6am.