TWO men convicted after a brawl involving knives have been spared jail.

Lewis Ayre, of Fisher Close, Banbury, and Naqash Hussain, of Prescott Avenue, Banbury, had both denied one count of affray and another of possession of a bladed article.

Ayre, 20, and Hussain, 28, were both convicted at Reading Crown Court after a three-day trial and sentenced at Oxford Crown Court today.

At the hearing the court heard that both had become involved in a fight at Middleton Road, Banbury, on May 30 at about 4.30pm.

While knives were not wielded during the brief incident, the court heard, the men were later found to be in possession of the weapons.

In mitigation, their defence teams said that the incident had been relatively short lived and there was no brandishing.

Judge Martin Helsop QC ordered both carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and complete rehabilitation days, and Hussain was jailed for six months, suspended for two years.