Motorist mounted pavement outside Leeds McDonald's to drive at street brawlers

However, he escaped going directly to prison while the three fighters, including a pregnant woman, were all taken into custody this week.

They all appeared at Leeds Crown Court in relation to the incident outside the McDonald’s restaurant on Albion Street in the early hours of December 3, 2021.

Captured on CCTV, it showed an altercation between Aimee Riches and an unknown male at around 2.15am. Riches’ friend Richard Hall then became involved, before a passing Vauxhall Astra stopped and Nathan Salmon got out to try and break it up.

Riches and Hall then turned on Salmon, joined by another male and partner of Riches, Andrew Martin. Salmon attempted to get back in his car but the other three began kicking and hitting the vehicle, damaging his wing mirror. They also attacked him through his car.

Prosecutor Philip Standfast said Salmon was able to then drive off from the scene, but turned the car around and drove towards the other three defendants, veering onto the pavement. He struck Hall, but he was not injured.

He then drove off, running three sets of red lights before smashing into railings on North Street. He was quickly arrested and found to be almost twice over the drink-drive limit. The other three were arrested after being identified by police from the CCTV.

All four admitted affray, while Salmon admitted drink-driving and dangerous driving. Hall also admitted breaching a suspended sentence and a charge of assault on an emergency worker after kicking out at a police officer in Leeds city centre days before the brawl.

Probation reports were prepared for all four defendants and read out to the court. For 34-year-old Hall, he is behind bars and has been addressing his chronic drink problem by attending Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meetings.

Martin, age 32 and of no fixed address, said he became involved to protect his partner Riches. Meanwhile rough sleeper Riches, who is eight months’ pregnant, said she was trying to split up the fight. It was heard that she was a heavy drug user.

The three have more than 90 convictions between them, many for violence and public-order offences. Mitigating for the three, Stuart Field said Hall was a “hopeless alcoholic” who was already in jail for another matter. He said that Riches also played a “minimal part” in the fight.

Meanwhile, Salmon, aged 30 of Nowell Court, Harehills, who has three previous convictions, including violence, admitted he was drunk having been drinking since 5.30pm, so should not have been behind the wheel.

Mitigating on his behalf, Satpal Roth-Sharma said he worked as a kitchen fitter to support his partner and three children, but conceded “he could lose it all”. She added that he “displayed a large amount of regret and remorse”.

The judge, Recorder David Gordon handed Hall a 23-month jail term, with Martin and Riches both being given 13 months. Salmon received a 12-month term, suspended for two years, 200 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for 18 months.