Brawl at Cardiff bar as revellers are refused entry
Three men attacked door staff when they were refused entry to a Cardiff bar because they had children with them and were wearing jogging bottoms.
Thomas Price, Henry Price, and Gary Ryan were told they could not bring children into Yates on a Sunday night and did not meet the requirements of the dress code.
Sentencing them at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Tracey LloydClarke said the fight that followed must have been “very frightening” for the children.
The affray happened at Yates bar in Greyfriars Road in Cardiff city centre just after 9pm on Sunday, May 5.
Jason Howells, prosecuting, said bouncer Gareth Selwood – who had 20 years of experience – noticed horse-drawn carts approaching the bar. Mr Selwood described a group of adults and children leaving the carts and tethering the horses.
Prosecutors said Thomas Price, who was carrying a three-year-old child, asked to be let in and was told he could not take a child into the bar at night.
The court heard members of the group were also told they could not wear jogging bottoms in the bar at the weekend.
Another member of door staff, Daniel Amner, heard someone shout: “F*** off. We’re coming in.” He said the men started to push the staff members and described “uppercuts” being thrown at his face and body. Mr Amner said someone tried to “gouge” his eyes.
Mr Howells said the manager was called and showed the men a copy of the bar’s rules in writing. The court heard there were “fists flying” as the defendants tried to push past the door staff.
Prosecutors said at one stage a man was thrown backwards into a taxi in the road, leaving a dent in the passenger door and causing £380 of damage.
Police attended and saw Henry Price with a child in his arms and Thomas Price in a “boxing stance”.
Mr Howells said officers had to “red dot” the defendants with Tasers when they would not cooperate.
Thomas Price, 32, Henry Price, 29, and Ryan, 21, all from Greenway Road in Rumney, were arrested and later admitted affray.
Prosecutors said Thomas and Henry Price had a previous conviction for affray in 2009 at a Royal British Legion club following a christening.
Vaughan Britton, for Thomas Price, said: “He concedes this was an extremely ugly incident which should not have happened and he very much regrets.”
Mr Britton said his client, a selfemployed landscaper with a longterm partner and two children, acted out of “blind loyalty” to family members.
Eugene Egan, for Henry Price, pointed out his client, who has three children, had not been convicted of a violent offence for 10 years.
David Pinnell told the court Ryan, who works as a labourer, was younger than the other defendants and had no previous convictions.
Thomas and Henry Price were each jailed for seven months and two weeks.
Ryan was given a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work as well as complying with a three-month curfew.
He must pay £380 in compensation to the taxi driver, £100 in compensation to each of the door staff, and £200 towards prosecution costs.