A SUFFOLK father and son have been ordered to do unpaid work in the community following their involvement in “drunken hooliganism” at a Stowmarket nightclub.

A SUFFOLK father and son have been ordered to do unpaid work in the community following their involvement in “drunken hooliganism” at a Stowmarket nightclub.

Builder Gary Johnson and his son Christopher had gone to the Excel nightclub on Christmas Eve and had become involved in an altercation, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

The manageress of the club approached the men to ask them to leave and had been punched on the side of her mouth by Gary Johnson, said Jehad Mustafa, prosecuting.

Christopher Johnson had initially acted as peacemaker and tried to hold back his father but as the incident progressed he had aimed kicks and punches at nightclub staff and at one stage picked up a bar stool and held it above his head.

The pair were eventually pushed out of the club by staff and guests, said Mr Mustafa.

Gary Johnson had continued to be abusive after he was refused entry back into the club. He later told police he had drunk 12 pints of lager on a pub crawl and couldn't remember going to the nightclub.

Gary Johnson, 47, of Middlewood Green, Stowmarket admitted affray and was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work in the community and to pay �565 costs.

Christopher Johnson, 19, also of Middlewood Green, admitted using threatening behaviour and was ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work in the community and to pay �400 costs.

They were both banned from the Excel nightclub for 12 months.

Christopher Paxton for Gary Johnson said his client had received a number of injuries in the incident but accepted responsibility for his involvement in what happened.

Mr Paxton described the incident as “drunken hooliganism” and said his client's behaviour was completely out of character.

David Wilson for Christopher Johnson said he had no previous convictions and hoped to work as a carpenter in his father's building business.