Craig Fox, 43, Daniel Whitcombe, 38, and Kieran Watson, 23, were all involved in a brawl outside a pub in Chester city centre on Saturday May 9.

All three were sent back across the Pennines to their homes with court bills totalling hundreds of pounds each.

all pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive bheaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.

Fox of Marlborough Drive in Tadcaster, Whitcombe, of Pottery Lane, York and Watson, of St Stephens Square, Acomb, all pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence..

Prosecutor Craig Welsby told the court CCTV footage showed Fox throwing punches at a member of the public before eventually grappling him to the ground.

There, Mr Welsby said, he landed more punches on the unknown victim’s head before they were able to stand and walk away.

Both Watson and Whitcombe threw one punch each to the face of the victim but with little impact.

The incident took place outside the Old Queens Head pub in Watergate Street.

Mr Welsby said their actions were aggravated because it was group activity.

Chris Hunt, defending all three men, said that neither he nor his clients had seen the CCTV footage because ‘Cheshire Police haven’t bothered to interview them’.

He said: “They’re from the York area who are builders and came to the city for a stag night.

“It appears that Watson, who was the youngest in the group, was attacked by the member of the public and Mr Fox jumped in to help.

“With no disrespect to Mr Fox, the victim got up without issue so he couldn’t have hurt him too much.

“They were fighting on the street and as they are aware, growing up in a Roman town where tourists are welcomed, it is frowned upon.”

When it was raised that one punch incidents are dangerous, Mr Hunt added they were lucky it was not more serious.

However, Mr Welsby told the court he felt Mr Hunt ‘had introduced new facts that could lead to a Newton hearing where the CCTV could be played’.

But Mr Hunt rebuffed this to state it was mitigation and the magistrates were also not convinced that it made ‘any material difference’.

After a small period of adjournment to consider their options, magistrates return to fine each defendant in turn.

Fox, as the lead offender, was fined £769 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £308 while Watson was fined Watson £350 with a surcharge of £140.

Whitcombe was fined £400 with a £160 surcharge and all three men will pay £85 in prosecution costs.