A YOUNG father has been jailed following a drunken rampage during which several men and women were “flattened and laid out” in Taunton town centre.

But a judge refused to impose an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

Click on the video on this page to see CCTV footage of the violence.

The orgy of violence started when David Black, 23, of St Patricks Road, confronted a man talking to Black’s sister In the ensuing mayhem, captured on CCTV, prosecutor Janice Eagles told Taunton Crown Court:

  • they hit the victim around the head, and Black rammed his head into a wall;
  • “numerous men were knocked to the ground”;
  • a passer-by who shouted, ‘What are you doing’ as they attacked “various females” was punched to the ground;
  • Black flattened his sister;
  • three further men were laid out.

The incident, between the Market House and Paul Street on November 15, ended when Black and his accomplice “ran off in a self-congratulatory manner”.

His accomplice, whose case is being dealt with separately, was arrested soon afterwards.

Black ran away from police, only stopping when faced with the threat of a Taser stun gun.

“He smelt of alcohol and was foaming at the mouth,” said Miss Eagles.

“People were being flattened and laid out on the ground.”

Patrick Mason, defending, said Black, a plasterer with an eight-month-old baby, had 21 previous court appearances, mostly alcohol-related.

Mr Mason added: “He was really out of control, throwing punches at anyone passing by.”

He said Black was “appalled” and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Mr Mason said: “A lot of his haymakers missed and he didn’t cause any real damage to the people.”

Judge Graham Hume Jones jailed Black for 18 months for affray and four months (concurrently) on each of two counts of battery.