Reveller was stabbed outside Leeds city centre McDonald's during gang attack

Jabbor Hussain admitted throwing punches during the early-morning fracas on Albion Street, before an unnamed member of his group knifed the victim in the leg.

Prosecutor Benjamin Bell told Leeds Crown Court it happened at around 3.30am on January 22 last year when the victim and his friends had left a nearby nightclub PRYZM, bought food from the burger restaurant and sat outside in a bus shelter.

The gang of seven, including Hussain, then became confrontational and began shouting towards the men, accusing them of making racist remarks.

Hussain admitted he punched one of the males several times to the head, before walking away. He then returned to the scene, which he said was in an effort to calm the situation. Another member then ran in and stabbed one of the men in the leg. He needed hospital treatment but the wound was not serious.

Hussain and the others left the scene in a blue VW Golf, which was later stopped by police. CCTV from St John’s Centre had captured the incident and it was played to the court.

During his police interview, 30-year-old Hussain admitted being present but denied stabbing the victim. He admitted a charge of affray.

Mitigating, Michael Walsh said Hussain has no previous convictions. He said: “He did not know anyone was carrying a knife. The first he knew was afterwards when he was in the vehicle. He has since distanced himself from the people he was involved with.”

He said that Hussain, of Cobden Street in Darlaston in the West Midlands, was hoping to become an electrician.

Judge Penelope Belcher told Hussain: “This is plainly out of character in terms of your previous history but it was a serious offence, there’s no two ways about that. I accept you did not stab the victim but you were part of a group that targeted individuals.”

Referring to the alleged racist remarks, she added: “The grown-up way is to turn your back and walk away. It has to be dealt with in a law-abiding manner.”

She gave him a six-month jail term, suspended for 12 months and 200 hours of unpaid work. No other men have been arrested for the incident.