A MEMBER of the notorious Noonan family has been jailed for 20 months after pleading guilty to being involved in two violent incidents with his twin brother.

In one of the attacks – outside a nightclub in Blackpool – a victim had part of his ear bitten off, and in the other – at a Salford pub – a man was viciously beaten.

Desmond Noonan, 23, of Gloucester Street, Salford, was told by Judge Bernard Lever at Manchester Crown Court: “You and your brother acted in the most outrageous fashion using your fists. “

Savage

He said the Blackpool incident particularly had been an 'ugly, savage and sustained attack'.

Noonan’s brother Damien, of Cowling Street, Salford, who also pleaded guilty, will be sentenced in the New Year for his part in the two attacks.

The court was told that in neither case was the victim willing to co-operate with police to bring a prosection, and nobody was willing to give evidence in court.

Judge Lever said he had had to depend entirely on CCTV footage which showed the Noonans’ involvement.

He said before passing sentence: “There is not a judge in Manchester that doesn’t know the name of this family, but I sentence scrupulously on the fact of the case.

“There is no premium on a family name in these courts.”

Juliet Berry, prosecuting, said that the Blackpool incident happened early in February last year outside the Syndicate nightclub in the resort.

CCTV footage showed the brothers involved in a five-minute brawl in which punches were thrown between a group of around a dozen young men who were scuffling outside the premises.

The second incident at the Wellington pub in Salford happened in May this year.

Ashamed

Nicola Hall, for Desmond Noonan - who pleaded guilty to an offence of affray and another under the Public Order Act – said he had been ashamed and shocked when shown the video footage.

She accepted that he had numerous previous convictions, but said the death of the brothers’ father in a road accident while on holiday in 2003 had been a ‘wholly traumatic’ event for the whole family, and he had simply not been able to deal with it.

She said: “He has become involved in incidents where he should have just turned and walked away. He must learn to do that.”

Adrian Farrow, for Damien Noonan - who is being dealt with for the same offences - told the court:

“He finds that the family name follows him around.

“He has responded wholly and utterly inappropriately, but the family name often provokes an adverse response”.

He said: “There now appears to be a genuine desire to break with what is becoming a pattern of behaviour.

“He has two young children and very much wants to become a role model for them.”

Judge Lever told Desmond Noonan: “You have a young child and a baby on the way.

“I am very sorry that you will not be there to see the new arrival, but you will be out in time to spend next Christmas with your family, and I hope this opportunity to love and care for people, will change your life.”