A father and his two sons barged into a builders merchants to attack a man after a long and drawn-out feud between families. Ronald, Simon, and Jeremiah Connors, of Rembrandt Way, Newport, entered the Terry Howell merchants in Port Road in Newport and set upon Ellis McCann, Cardiff Crown Court heard on Thursday.
CCTV footage played in court showed Ronald Connors, 46, and Jeremiah Connors, 22, sparring with Mr McCann before a struggle ensued and all three ended up on the floor beside the till area as stunned shop workers watched in disbelief. Simon Connors, 25, then begins hitting Mr McCann repeatedly with a crowbar before all three defendants leave the premises and Mr McCann is seen lying on the floor.
Nigel Fryer, prosecuting, told the court that Simon Connors was charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a weapon, which he pleaded guilty to on March 3, and the two other defendants were charged with violent disorder, which they also pleaded guilty to on March 3.
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Mr Fryer told the court the three defendants entered the merchants at 11am on Monday, January 31, where Mr McCann was with his seven-year-old son and his 18-year-old nephew. “Ronald and Jeremiah began sparring with Ellis McCann while children were present,” he said. “Simon returns with a crowbar, striking Mr McCann repeatedly and leaving him injured on the floor.”
The court heard how after the incident the defendants “continued to act in an aggravating fashion” towards Mr McCann who was sitting injured on a pile of cement mix. “He had a number of facial injuries and lacerations to the tongue,” Mr Fryer said. “He had bruises to his ribs, torso, legs, and arms.”
In a victim impact statement Mr McCann said: “Since the incident my life has changed completely. I am constantly living in fear and panic that something else will happen. I am so frightened now. I have also lost my appetite as a result of physical injuries but also the toll on my mental health. I am worried about getting out of my vehicle.” You can sign up to our crime and punishment newsletter here.
Mr McCann, who lives in a caravan in Cardiff, said he had also bought guard dogs for security purposes as a result of the attack. Judge Timothy Petts said it had been difficult for the court to ascertain the impact of the incident on Mr McCann as he had left hospital on the evening of January 31 without having received any professional medical help.
Eugene Egan, for Simon Connors, asked for full credit for his client given that he had pleaded guilty at the earliest appropriate time. Mr Egan also told the court that Simon had a clean character with no previous convictions. “He is one of life’s grafters,” Mr Egan said. “He works in landscape gardening each and every day. He is from a tight-knit family and his priority is to look after them.” Mr Egan also highlighted his client’s Asperger’s syndrome as causing a “difficulty in processing information properly”. “In this case he realises he has grossly overreacted,” Mr Egan added.
Jeffrey Jones, on behalf of Jeremiah Connors, also noted his client's previously clean character and that he is the father of a 21-month-old child. Mr Jones said: “His behaviour was fast and furious involving boxing stances and then punches and grappling. He had no weapon. The weapon that was used [by Simon] was already in the shop. The complainant is not a stranger. I do not endorse any provocation of ‘you’re on my patch’ and the like but this is not a stranger attack.
“The Crown has said it was a busy place but the seven-year-old boy leaves quickly and no members of the public are in the store. There are three members of staff in the shop. I would quibble the assertion by the Crown that it was a busy place. The images shown to us of the injuries are also going to be self-healing.”
Kevin Seal, for Ronald Connors, said: “On the day in question Mr Connors received a threat towards his son and he accepts that he dealt with it inappropriately. There is a background here which had been brewing for a long time. Mr Connors is the first to accept that matters of that nature should not be dealt with by travellers’ justice. It would appear that what took place on that day has now put an end to whatever feud there was.
“Mr Connors is 46 and had no previous convictions until 2015 and then 2018, none of which are relevant to this case. He has completed licence conditions with no breaches.” Mr Seal also told the court that his client has a child with cystic fibrosis and another with Down’s syndrome who rely on his care.
Sentencing, Judge Petts told Ronald Connors he had “used his trump card” in relation to his vulnerable children. He told Simon Connors he had “played a leading role” in the incident due to the use of the crowbar. Simon Connors received three years and eight months in prison for grievous bodily harm with intent and a concurrent eight months for possession of an offensive weapon. He must also pay a statutory surcharge of £190.
Ronald Connors received a two-year prison term suspended for two years. He must also complete a 25-day rehabilitation order and 250 hours of unpaid work and pay £240 in prosecution costs plus a statutory surcharge of £156.
Jeremiah Connors was given a 20-month jail term suspended for two years with a six-day rehabilitation order and 200 hours of unpaid work. He must pay £240 in prosecution costs and a £156 statutory surcharge.
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