THE last of four youths whose behaviour earlier prompted a judge to slam the "mindless violence," on some estates, has been sentenced.

James Williams, 19, got involved in the brawl on the Edgeside estate in Waterfoot, which was sparked after a young father returned to a flat there to collect some belongings for his baby.

Burnley Crown Court heard how a man suffered serious head injuries in the resulting fracas, but that was nothing to do with the defendant who was not armed and did not use a weapon.

Williams, of Crabtree Avenue, Waterfoot, admitted affray and was given 60 hours' community punishment, the same sentence as two of his co-defendants who appeared before Judge Raymond Bennett the week before.

Sentencing the first three involved in the trouble, the judge said the lives of people on some estates were made a misery by youths who thought they could use threats of violence to get their way. The judge told Williams that it was difficult to ascertain exactly who did what during the brawl and there were different views about the part played by the defendant.

He added the only good thing which could be said about Williams was that he had no previous convictions for violence.

However, he said that it would be wrong for him to make any distinction between Williams and the other two youths who had committed the same offence.

The court had been told how animosity had been shown to the young dad and a number of incidents had taken place prior to the fracas.

The father's girlfriend, who had just had a baby, left her flat for good taking the child with her. When the dad went to the flat for some clothes, he was surrounded by a group of youths, some carrying weapons.