A MOTHER and father have been jailed for a late-night club brawl witnessed by their children.

Kelvin John Green and Zoe Green swung pool cues and she threw pool balls during the prolonged violence after a child's birthday party, York Crown Court heard.

They were with their three children shortly after 10pm in St Clement's WMC, South Bank, York, on December 27, when a group of four men in their sixties, two of whom have heart problems, were playing on the other side of the room, said John Giles, prosecuting.

The mother gesticulated at the card-players, the father went over to them. He was joined by his wife, her sister Melissa Clapham and her sister's partner Adam Michael Flanagan, forming a "cordon" around the card-players, and the violence began.

After seeing CCTV of the incident, Recorder Deborah Sherwin said members of the public and staff had had to take the children to safety.

"This was a disgraceful incident for them to experience," she said. "They were caught up in the middle of it. One child, who appears to be the older boy looked terrified and distressed," she said. "The club is a quiet place not known for trouble."

Damien Morrison, for both parents, said they were ashamed and urged her not to jail them so they could stay with their children.

The judge told the father: "It seems incomprehensible how you as a father could subject your children to what happened that evening."

She jailed Kelvin John Green, 30, for 12 months and his wife for six.

The couple, of Sandwath Drive, Church Fenton, both admitted affray and carrying an offensive weapon in public.

Clapham, 26, of Bell Farm Avenue, York, and Flanagan, of Tennyson Avenue, York, both admitted affray. Clapham, whom the judge said kicked at the head of a man who had been knocked down, received a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months on condition she does 150 hours' unpaid work, and Flanagan received a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years on condition he does 200 hours' unpaid work and must pay £500 compensation to a man caught up in the violence who suffered minor injuries.

Mr Giles said a door was also broken during the brawl.

Mr Morrison said there was a "history" between the mother and one of the card players. The father had initially gone over to defuse the situation between them.

For Flanagan, Neal Kutte said he had only got involved because his partner had and he was trying to calm the situation down.

For Clapham, who was the only defendant without previous convictions, Alex Menary said she had behaved out of character.