Slash hooks, axe and bar used in brutal family brawl

EIGHT members of a family have each received a suspended four-year sentence for taking part in a violent brawl.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the inter-family row at Oldcastle Park Green, Bawnogue, Clondalkin, Dublin involved the use of slash hooks, an axe and a bar.

John Stokes Snr, 60, and his three sons, John, 25, Edward, 28, and Martin, 31, all with addresses at 1 Oldcastle Park, and Edward Stokes Snr, 44, and his three sons Edward, 23, Martin, 25, and Joseph, 19, all from Oldcastle Park, pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder on January 22, 2017.

The court heard John Stokes Snr and Edward Stokes Snr were brothers and their sons were cousins.

The men from number 1 went to the home of the men in number 8.

Garda Niamh Connaughton said that two of the men were armed with large, wooden-handled slash hooks about five feet in length, and another man was armed with a bar.

Both groups were threatening to kill each other and to burn caravans out. She said the cause of the fight was unknown.

One man had his ear partially severed, while another suffered a stab wound to his hand. John Stokes Snr was treated in hospital for a suspected bleed to his brain.

Judge Martin Nolan said all families had their problems but that the men had behaved disgracefully. He said they had all expressed remorse and there was no great purpose to be served in imprisoning them all.