TWO men broke a waiter’s nose in a racist attack when he tried to stop them running from the restaurant without paying.

On Friday Christopher Bradshaw, aged 29, of St Elphin’s Close in Howley and Ryan Brennan, aged 27, of Slater Street in Latchford, were sent to prison for a year for racially aggravated assault and making off without payment.

The court heard how the two had been drinking all day on March 11 before they went to the Ruchi Tandoor restaurant at New Town House with a friend.

There, they ordered £102.60 worth of food. When the bill came Bradshaw put it in his pocket and walked towards the toilet before turning and heading to the exit, said Richard Sealy, prosecuting.

He was followed by Brennan and the woman. Bradshaw then produced a card to pay for the meal but said he could not remember his pin number.

He also provided a cheque book but then left, with staff shouting after him.

Both Brennan and Bradshaw then came back to the restaurant where waiter Jabedur Rahman got stuck in the doorway with him, Mr Sealy said.

Both men then punched him in the face, breaking his nose, and shouted racist abuse at him.

Mr Rahman had to have surgery to repair the break.

Bradshaw already has a conviction for a racially motivated offence while Brennan has multiple convictions for violence.

The court heard how both men have made changes since the attack. Bradshaw is in full time employment and Brennan has recently become a father and is taking a course at Warrington Collegiate.

But Judge Stephen Clarke told them: “Neither of you are strangers to the use of violence and Mr Rahman was just trying to run a business.

“It is no consolation to him that you were both the worse for drink.”