Around 10 people were listening to a case at Mansfield Magistrates' Court where defendant David Dennett pleaded guilty to carrying an axe in to a local pub.

But just as the magistrates told Dennett he would be spending the next 14 weeks behind bars for assault, a member of public apparently couldn't contain themselves any longer and let rip.

This led to an eruption of laughter, leaving the usher no choice but to order the whole of the public gallery to leave after the embarrassing slip on Wednesday afternoon.

Nick Frame, who was in court reporting for the Mansfield and Ashfield Chad, said it was like "the back of a classroom."

He said: "The judge handed down the sentence and then paused to let it sink in.

"And in that silence, someone farted. We tried to stay composed but eventually everyone started laughing.

“It was like the back of a classroom."