Cricket stump attack pair sent to prison

TWO men who carried out an attack armed with cricket stumps during New Year celebrations have been jailed.

Temporary judge Roger Craik QC rejected defence pleas to spare Osman Akhtar, 22, and Mohammed Jansher Khan, 21, jail sentences. He said the type of behaviour involved had to be "discouraged".

The judge added: "On any view this was a disgraceful incident in a very public place on a very public occasion."

At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday he sentenced first offender Akhtar, of Craigour Terrace, to 19 months' imprisonment and co-accused Khan, of Minto Street, to 21 months in jail.

The pair assaulted Farhan Iqbal, 21, with the weapons on 1 January last year in Edinburgh's Market Street to his severe injury. Mr Iqbal suffered a broken jaw in two places and had emergency surgery to his head after developing a blood clot.