Baby made former alcoholic face up to his crime

Brian Walsh, aged 34, had pleaded guilty to the affray in Walsall town centre in 2010 and had turned up at court to be sentenced in 2011, though he left before the case was called.

However, the police failed to pursue a warrant for his arrest even though he had been on the run and living locally before deciding to hand himself in in January.

Patrick Currie, mitigating, said it was the birth of his child that convinced him he needed to get his life back on track.

Walsh, of Foster Street, Bloxwich had also resumed a relationship with his wife after the couple had earlier separated.

"As a result of the birth of his child, he realised that he was living a life on the run and there could be a knock on the door.

"He realised this was not a way forward for him or for his child or family," Mr Currie told the court.

Edward Soulsby, prosecuting, said that Walsh had been among a group of white men who had been in the Modus Vivendi nightclub in Walsall, and who were followed by three Asian men after leaving and a fight broke out between them in the street.

The fight left the Asians with injuries including bruising to the face.

Mr Currie said there had been an incident in a toilet at the club, after which Walsh was told to leave by his friends and this led to the street brawl.

At the height of his drinking, Walsh would get through approximately 15 cans of beer a day, Mr Currie added.

He told police he had acted in self defence during the fight which happened a short time after he had discovered the dead body of his father in his flat.

"He accepts he should not have walked away from court, but it came at a time when he had lost his father, but in that time he sorted himself out.

"During the time that he has been at large, he has not committed any offences," Mr Currie said.

Sentencing Walsh, judge Martin Walsh gave him credit for turning himself in, but said that he would have to be convicted for breaching the terms of his bail.

He added: "It is surprising that living locally the police were not able to execute the warrant that was outstanding."

The defendant was given a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.