DAD AND TWO SONS IN COURT OVER FEUD

Court hears that victim is ‘fearful’ of family after attack

A Stoke-on-trent dad-of-10 and two of his sons took part in an attack which involved the use of weapons as a feud between families spilled over into shocking violence.

Bernard Mcginley, 44, waded in with multiple punches after Cornelius Mcginley, 22, and 19-year-old Barney Mcginley ‘took matters into their own hands’ outside a pub in Appleby at the town’s horse fair in Cumbria, on August 13.

They lashed out at two other males after an alleged slight against a young female family member.

The two victims were another father and his 14-year-old son, who were trying to sell a horse when a group of eight or nine men approached and told them to ‘get off the fair’.

That included the two younger Mcginleys. The 14-year-old was struck to the face, stomach and head, kicked on the floor and hit with a metal bar.

Prosecutor Helena Williams said: “Bernard lifted his left arm and struck (the man) to the back of his head four times.”

The man recalled hearing Bernard shout ‘get out this fair, I’ll murder the two of you’ and also ‘I run this fair’.

The man attended hospital, underwent a CT scan which showed a facial fracture and suffered a cut to the back of his head.

In an impact statement, he said: “I no longer like to leave the house as I feel terrified for my life. I truly am fearful of the Mcginley family and what they may be capable of.”

All three Mcginleys admitted affray and had spent time in custody on remand.

David Taylor, defending Bernard Mcginley, said he had got involved because of his sons.

“He went over the top and shouldn’t have done it,” said Mr Taylor.

Passing sentence, Recorder Mark Ainsworth said: “It is distressing to see three members of the same family in the dock at the same time. The entire incident was deeply unattractive and distressing.”

Bernard Mcginley, of Shelford Road, Sandyford, was handed an eight-month jail term suspended for a year. Cornelius Mcginley, of Hollywall Lane, Sandyford, and Barney Mcginley, also of Shelford Road, received 12-month community orders. All three were ordered to complete 200 hours’ unpaid work and banned from contacting the two victims for six months.