A MAN who suffered a beating and kicking when he objected to someone urinating in the street near him is to get £2,000 compensation, York Crown Court heard.

Edward Robert Phillips, 35, and Robert McQueen, 34, subjected their victim to the brutal attack when he objected to the first urinating in the street, a court has heard.

Rukhshanda Hussain, prosecuting, said the chef was three times punched to the ground where Phillips and McQueen both kicked him. He had been waiting for a taxi home in the early hours of January 23 on Stonebow when he saw Phillips relieving himself.

The Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Batty QC, told the attackers: “This was a quite disgraceful piece of gratuitous, drunken violence here in the centre of the city of York where a perfectly law abiding gentleman remonstrated with you, Phillips, because you were urinating in the street.

“That in itself was pretty revolting. It is going to be a very expensive night out.”

Phillips, of Giles Avenue, Heworth, whom the judge said had started the violence and was the main attacker, was given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years on condition he does 200 hours’ unpaid work and must pay the chef £1,500 compensation. He had no previous convictions.

McQueen, formerly of Bishophill Senior, central York, was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years on condition he does 150 hours’ unpaid work. He must pay £500 compensation. Both men admitted causing actual bodily harm.

His solicitor advocate Graham Parkin said because of McQueen’s part in the incident, his employer had sacked him and his partner had ended their relationship and thrown him out. Both Mr Parkin and Damian Nolan for Phillips handed in references for their clients and said their behaviour on January 23 had been out of character. Both were normally hard-working young men who regretted their actions.

Ms Hussain said the victim had suffered injuries to his teeth and face that had cost him work. McQueen had tried to stop the attack towards its end.