TWO men who gatecrashed a Huddersfield student party brandishing a realistic-looking revolver and a knife have been locked up.

Bradford duo Samuel Cleary, 20, and Karl Lynch, 19, drunkenly terrorised students at the party at a house in Belgrave Terrace in Highfields, last September.

Judge Jonathan Rose said he had to send a message out that there was nothing ‘cool’ about carrying knives or guns.

During the case at Bradford Crown Court, it emerged that Cleary’s family had been hit by tragedy when close relative Peter Zanetti, 56, and his brother Michael, 55, were killed in a horrific crash on the M62 on Tuesday.

Barrister Ken Green, for Cleary, said he regarded Mr Zanetti as his ‘grandfather’.

But the judge said he doubted the Zanettis would want the tragedy to be used to help Cleary escape punishment.

The court heard how Cleary, of Harvest Mount, and Lynch of Thackley Road, had been drinking heavily before the birthday party.

Prosecutor Ewan McLachlan said they were asked to leave and that they became aggressive.

They went to the nearby home of Lynch’s girlfriend, where Cleary picked up the blank-firing Olympic .22 revolver and Lynch grabbed a small penknife.

They went back to the party, where Lynch took out the knife and Cleary pulled the revolver from his waistband and used them to frighten students.

The pair eventually returned to the nearby flat, where they were arrested by armed police officers.

During his police interview Cleary said he had got drunk on cider, vodka and Vimto and described the gun, which belonged to Lynch, as a toy.

The judge said crimes involving weapons were becoming all too common.

He said: "Citizens of this country, be it London, Bradford or Huddersfield, are tired and frightened of young thugs like you who take on too much alcohol, who take on drugs and, against that background, carry out acts of violence that bring fear into the hearts of decent, hard-working people."

Judge Rose said if he had been looking at the imitation revolver pointing at him he would have been in real fear for his life.

Cleary, who admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, was sent to a young offenders institution for 18 months.

Lynch, who pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, was locked up for 12 months.