A group of  Barnet Cypriot youths  are facing serious consequences for their role in a brawl which left an off-duty police officer with a fractured eye socket.

They were involved in a fracas on a Christmas night out in London.

Involved were two pairs of brothers.

One victim was left with a impacted fracture to his cheek and eye socket while a colleague  was repeatedly punched and kicked to the ground.

An unidentified man getting into his car with his girlfriend was also hit but drove off before he could give a statement.

Prosecutor Michael Hall told the court how five off-duty officers were leaving their Christmas do at the Strawberry Moon club in Soho.

He said: “They walked down Piccadilly and they are met, on the other side of the road, with these four defendants walking up Piccadilly.

“Two of the defendants are play-fighting, or fighting, its hard to tell. While they are fighting, one pushes the other towards the road.

“One of the officers shouts ‘Oi, purple baseball cap’. The officers then keep on walking.

“A couple are making their way north up the same street on the pavement from Piccadilly.

“The gentleman of that couple walks towards his car which parked on the road. With one of the defendants comes between two parked cars and punches the unknown male, then punches the off-duty officer , knocking him immediately to the ground.

“Either the punch or his impact with the ground causes an impacted fracture of his cheek and eye-socket that required surgery and fixing of titanium plates and screws.

“Thereafter after another defendant runs across the road and punches the other officer  from behind.

The other two defendants punch him as he retreats back down Regent Street towards Swallow Street.

“One of the victim’s is then set upon by all four, punching and kicking, at one stage finding himself on the ground.

“Door staff from nearby clubs eventually break it up and the defendants run back down Regent Street.”

One defendant  had faced a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent and unlawfully inflicting GBH on one of the off duty Police officers.

They had also faced an assault charge relating to the other police officer and affray.

All the defendants , admitted affray and the Crown accepted their pleas.

The judge, Mr Recorder Christopher Hehir said: “It seems to me that the custody threshold is clearly passed in this case.” They will be sentenced on May 2.