A Christmas work party certainly lacked festive cheer when violence spilled into the street outside a Maidstone pub, a court heard.

Double glazing firm DG Solutions had put a staggering £1,000 behind the bar of The Druids Arms pub in Earl Street for 16 employees to enjoy on December 15 last year.

However, Maidstone Crown Court heard any festive joy was shattered as early as 7pm that evening when colleagues brawled with each other.

One ended up with an arm fractured in three places while another suffered severe bruising to his body.

Two of the revellers, Shane Matthews and Kevin Friend, have each been jailed for 18 months at Maidstone Crown Court.

Passing sentence Judge Charles Byers said any punishment had to reflect the public's concern at young people becoming violent through alcohol.

"In the middle of December most people want to enjoy themselves. Unfortunately in The Druids Arms you and two people you knew decided to ruin everybody else's fun by indulging in what has been described as a brawl.

"It was brought about by a tremendous amount of alcohol that had been drunk on both sides....I don't know why it is that young people's idea of a good night out is to get themselves into a state where they cannot possibly remember it the next morning."

Matthews, 25, of Aspen Drive, Whitfield in Dover, and Kevin Friend, 26, of Ingoldsby Road, Folkestone, both admitted affray.

Father-of-two Friend also pleaded guilty to assaulting two detention officers while he was under arrest.

At the time of the fight Matthews was subject to a suspended sentence imposed just four weeks earlier for an offence of battery.

The court also heard that less than an hour before violence broke out he and one of the victims, Harry Enright, had been served by police with immediate 24-hour bans from Maidstone town centre because of their drunken behaviour.

Because of this, the pair were being watched by CCTV operators and the trouble that subsequently flared was captured on camera and shown in court.

Mr Enright suffered the fractured arm while David Marney, who was punched to the ground and appeared at one stage to be unconscious, sustained bruising.

Matthews himself was said to have suffered a broken rib.

Prosecutor Andrew Forsyth described Friend as being "extremely volatile and abusive" on arrest, lashing out and spitting in the face of one officer.

"I don't know why it is that young people's idea of a good night out is to get themselves into a state where they cannot possibly remember it the next morning" - Judge Charles Byers

The court heard that both men have previous convictions for violence, including assaulting police, common assault, battery and criminal damage.

Craig Evans, defending Matthews, told the court he had an "inability to manage provocation" and that drug abuse lay behind his record of offending.

However, he said Matthews, who has a six-year-old daughter, had "recognised the need to change his ways".

Friend, described as a binge drinker, was said by his barrister John Dowlman to have initially acted as a peacemaker.

"But he accepts his behaviour went well beyond self defence," he added.

Judge Byers said he accepted both men had made "strides" while in custody and was impressed by their current attitudes.

He added that he accepted there was violence and drunken behaviour on both sides.