14 DAY TRIAL // Identical twin brothers Ryan and Grant Seymour were caught on camera brawling in the street last year and have both been given the same jail sentence because police couldn’t tell them apart.
The teenagers took part in a mass brawl with a rival gang on July 6 last year. The incident, which happened in Biddulph, Staffordshire, was caught on CCTV, and the 19-year-old boys were reportedly seen pelting missiles, including a portable TV set, at members of the rival Yoxall family and attacking them with a hammer.
During the violent street brawl, both brothers were shirtless and wearing identical blue shorts, so detectives could not prove “who did what” because they were impossible to tell apart. But given that both took part in the mass violence and were equally angry, judge Paul Glenn decided to jail them both for nine months, Daily Mail informs.
Apparently, the fight occurred when the Seymour brothers were at a friend's house. Four men reportedly came in and started a fight in which the teenagers hurled glass vases and bottles at their victims.
“You were not the only people to behave disgracefully. There was undoubted provocation,” the judge told the pair. “But your conduct has been described by witnesses as mayhem, barbaric and vile.”
The youngsters both admitted one count of affray when they appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Ryan was also sentenced to a further 15 months in prison for an earlier unrelated incident.
As it turns out, the Seymour brothers are not first-time offenders, as five years ago they were given anti-social behavior orders after terrorizing their neighborhood since the age of 10. Numerous complaints were filed against them, including intimidating and abusive behavior, under-age drinking, throwing stones at homes and cars, and causing disturbance in public places across their home town of Biddulph.
However, their lawyers have now tried to describe them as mature people with more stable lives.
Jason Holt, defending Ryan, said, “Mr. Seymour has matured since this incident, he is no longer the angry man he once was. He even apologises to the people of South View who saw this going on.”
On the other hand, Grant's attorney Robert Smith added, “Since this offence in July last year there has not been any further incident involving Grant. He is now a roofer and has stuck at it. He has reduced his drinking and now has a stable life.”