A MAN stuffed pool balls inside his sock and used it as a weapon during a drink-fuelled brawl in a city centre pool hall.

Jordan Burke used the improvised weapon to strike his victim in the face – causing a fracture to part of the man's jaw.

His friend, Sean Whaley, also struck the man with a pool cue during the incident at Rocket Ronnie’s.

The incident, captured on CCTV, shows Burke in a verbal argument with his victim shortly before the brawl breaks out.

Burke is then seen to remove his sock, grab two pool balls, stuff them into his sock and put his shoe back on.

The CCTV then shows Whaley throw a punch at the victim, followed by a large brawl in which Burke hits his victim with the stuffed sock.

Whaley is also seen using the pool cue to strike his victim several times.

During the pair’s sentencing at Southampton Crown Court last week, prosecutor Tim Dracass said the brawl, on July 20, had erupted after a verbal exchange between Burke and his victim.

He said the situation escalated after Whaley struck the victim with a “cowardly” hit over the shoulder of one his female friends.

Mr Dracass said: “Burke then takes off one of his shoe and sock, takes two pool balls from the table and puts them in his sock.

“Burke hits [the victim] in the face with the sock containing the pool balls.”

Mr Dracass added that the victim suffered a facial fracture in the incident, but did not require surgery.

In mitigation, Khalid Missouri said Burke, a construction worker, had created the weapon in self-defence – having once been stabbed.

He said Burke, 21, who pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm without intent, had only used the weapon once, as his victim advanced towards him.

Mitigating for Whaley, who pleaded guilty to affray, Thomas Evans said his client had also picked up the pool cue in self defence.

He said Whaley, 24, was due to become a father for the second time and urged the court to consider a community order.

In sentencing, judge Gary Burrell QC said the pair had “behaved like morons”.

He said: “There was a certain amount of provocation, I accept that, but bringing weapons into it was cowardly and could have caused a much worse situation.”

Burke, of Carthage Close, Chandler’s Ford, was sentenced to a nine month sentence, suspended for two years, with 150 hours of unpaid work, £1250 in court costs and £500 compensation to his victim.

Whaley, of, William Macleod Way, Southampton, was sentenced to six months, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work and £750 costs.