A father and his two sons have been sentenced for their roles in a violent brawl at a funeral wake that left a lorry driver with a severe facial injury requiring nine stitches. The incident, which took place at Prenton Golf Club in Wirral on 17 October 2024, was described by a judge as "an entirely disgraceful event" that "descended into something akin to a bar room brawl".
Violence erupts at wake
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the Redmond family—Liam Redmond snr, 61, and his sons Liam Redmond jnr, 25, and Luke Redmond, 23—were attending a wake following a funeral. Witnesses noted that the trio appeared "inappropriately dressed" for the occasion and were unfamiliar to other attendees.
The wake was scheduled to end at 7pm, but just before last orders at 6.45pm, staff alerted golf course manager Kate Verdin-Walsh to shouting in the bar area. She found 12 to 15 people in a circle, acting as a buffer between two arguing men. Liam Redmond snr was seen shouting at another man who was trying to back away.
After being calmed down, the father and sons were escorted from the premises, but the situation escalated when Redmond snr dragged another man to the ground near the exit. A large-scale fight broke out, triggered by a man grabbing Redmond snr's daughter as she tried to leave.
Injuries and eye-gouging
During the brawl, a pint glass was hurled into the crowd, striking Ms Verdin-Walsh on the head and requiring hospital treatment. Witness Ronald Hancox saw Redmond snr pressing his thumb inside another man's eye, prompting him to intervene. Another attendee, Carl Hancox, witnessed the father striking a man called Billy before forcing his thumbs into the victim's eyes.
William Donaldson, who ran to protect his nephew, was punched and kicked to the head while on the ground. He suffered a split nose, believed to be caused by a glass bottle, and required nine stitches. The HGV driver also had glass fragments in his eye and was forced to take a fortnight off work.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Donaldson said: "I don't really go out much any more so that I don't have to explain it to people. I no longer pop down to the pub. I get nervous about strange places and people. I was always easy going and could chat to anyone. I always enjoyed a laugh and socialising, but not any more."
Sentencing
Liam Redmond snr, who has 16 previous convictions for 24 offences dating back to 1978, including a nine-month sentence for attempted wounding in 1990, was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete up to 10 days of rehabilitation activity and a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement. His previous convictions included a 12-month community order for affray related to a fight at a wake in 2021.
Liam Redmond jnr and Luke Redmond, who had no previous convictions, were each given 12-month community orders with 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 80 hours of unpaid work. All three were ordered to pay Mr Donaldson £250 each in compensation.
Sentencing them, Judge Garrett Byrne said: "On that date, you were all in attendance at a wake at Prenton Golf Club. You, along with everybody, it seems to me, were under the influence of alcohol. There appears to have been some words said, and a fight broke out.
"This was, on any view, an entirely disgraceful event. All three of you should be ashamed of yourselves. What was supposed to be a solemn and respectful event descended into something akin to a bar room brawl.
"It started when you, Mr Redmond snr, dragged the nephew down. Mr Donaldson ran over to help his nephew, and the fight started. Glasses were thrown, various injuries were suffered by a number of different people, including the manager, including Carl Hancox, but, perhaps most seriously of all, William Donaldson, who suffered a very serious injury to his nose.
"He had nine stitches to close that unpleasant wound. He was left with a permanent scar. He was left with glass fragments in his eyes. Although it is not entirely clear which of you caused the injuries to Mr Donaldson, it is clear that you were all active participants in the fight."
Judge Byrne told Redmond snr his previous conviction "bore a striking similarity" to the latest offence, adding: "It was another wake. You were also intoxicated."
He accepted that none of the defendants had reoffended since the incident and that they had shown genuine remorse, noting medical conditions and good compliance with community orders.
