Rival families attacked one another with machetes, axes and hammers during an “absolutely appalling” brawl that broke out at a cemetery in Wales.
A total of seven men have been jailed for an array of offences following the incident in Morriston Cemetry, Swansea on 5 August last year.
Dash cam footage recorded from one of the assailants vehicle’s showed the chaotic scenes unfolding following a high-speed van chase.
One man can be seen chasing another in his van as it speeds past gravestones in the cemetery.
He then gets out and runs after him with a pickaxe handle. He is then joined by two others who jumped out of the vehicle wielding a hammer and a brick.
Others can be seen holding machetes and plans of timbers. The van was driven at driven past mourners at speed and narrowly missed someone in a wheelchair.
Two of the men were seriously injured in the incident, including a teenager who was taken to hospital after being stabbed.
The men involved belonged to two sides of an extended family and the incident took place next to a graveside blessing.
James Coffey, 45, from Rumney, northeast Cardiff, was jailed for two years and three months for violent disorder, possession of offensive weapon and dangerous driving.
Jeffrey Tawse 24, also from Rumney, was jailed for 18 months for violent disorder and possession of offensive weapon.
Patrick Joseph Murphy, 40, from Llanelli, South Wales, was jailed for two years and eight months for violent disorder and possession of offensive weapon.
Andrew John Thomas, 40, from Llanelli, was jailed for three years for violent disorder and dangerous driving.
John Joe O’Brien, 53, from Llanelli, was jailed for 16 months for violent disorder and possession of offensive weapon.
Martin John O’Brien, 58, from Llanelli, was jailed for 16 months for violent disorder and possession of offensive weapon.
Paddy Murphy, 19, and John Murphy, 18, the teenage sons of Patrick Murphy, were given suspended jail sentences and ordered to undertake unpaid work.
The dash cam footage of the brawl was recorded from Coffey’s van. It shows him running to the driver’s side door of a van, as a black Volkswagen Golf skids and collides with another vehicle in the background.
Two others can then be seen getting into the van as Coffey drives it at speed down a path in the cemetery as they chase another vehicle.
The two groups get out and brawl and Coffey then returns to the van a short time later with blood pouring from his head.
Horrified members of the public alerted police and armed officers arrived at the scene.
Swansea Crown Court was told the incident was the latest in a long-running feud between various members of the extended family, who had been attending the graveside blessing.
Judge Paul Thomas KC said many of those involved had been on ‘high alert’ for violence at the funeral.
He said it was “beyond the realms of coincidence that those attending the service all had weapons including machetes, hammers, shovels and other implements “available for use” straight away when things turned violent, suggesting the attack was premeditated.
South Wales Police described the incident as “absolutely appalling”.
Mike Owens, detective chief inspector, said: “This was an absolutely appalling incident that would have terrified those peacefully attending the cemetery in the middle of the day.
“The group, who are all known to each other, committed violent offences and were seen using weapons against each other.
“I hope the sentences today provide reassurance to the community that this kind of criminal behaviour won’t be tolerated and anybody committing these acts will face the consequence of their actions.
“The investigation team were resolute in their commitment to fully investigate the disorder in the cemetery, working with other police forces to detain and investigate the individuals involved.”
