Swansea Street Brawl: Families Clash with Wooden Planks and Metal Poles
A violent mass brawl erupted in the Ravenhill suburb of Swansea, with two families coming to blows using wooden planks and metal poles in a dispute over alleged drug dealing. The Jenkins family descended on their neighbours' home armed with homemade weapons, sparking a chaotic street melee that was captured on CCTV and mobile phone footage.
The Escalation of Violence
The violence began when brothers Adam Miller and Kristian Thomas attacked the Jenkins family home with golf clubs, suspecting that 23-year-old Corey Jenkins was involved in drug dealing. After ransacking the property, the brothers fled to the nearby home of their relative David Dollimore. Seeking revenge, the Jenkins family then ambushed them, leading to a full-scale street brawl.
Four members of the Jenkins family armed themselves with various weapons for their attack. Corey Jenkins brandished a wooden plank studded with nails along with a metal pole, while Paul Jenkins, 64, carried a hammer. Christopher Jenkins, 45, and Lisa Jenkins, 45, wielded sticks as they launched their assault on June 6.
The Chaotic Confrontation
Video footage shows the moment the Jenkins family initiated their attack. One of the brothers was first seen throwing a hammer toward the Jenkins, which appeared to strike a family member in the leg. The three men then went on the offensive, hurling their large weapons at their neighbours.
The brothers fought back, wrestling with the Jenkins family and attempting to seize their weapons. The brawl turned particularly ugly as men were thrown over garden railings and one of the Jenkins men suffered a significant blow to the face.
During the confrontation, Thomas struck Kirsty Choi, a neighbour of the Jenkins family, on the head with a metal pole while she was attending to a Jenkins family member lying on the ground. After approximately 40 seconds of chaos, the Jenkins family retreated, bloodied and bruised from the violent exchange.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
Judge Catherine Richards stated that while Miller and Thomas had instigated the incident by taking the law into their own hands when they attacked the Jenkins home, the Jenkins family had subsequently engaged in an act of vigilantism. She noted they showed no regard for their impact on the wider community or the fear they would cause fellow residents.
The Jenkins family, all residents of Ravenhill, Swansea, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. Paul and Christopher Jenkins each received 18-month prison sentences, while Corey Jenkins was sentenced to 22 months behind bars. Lisa Jenkins received an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, along with 250 hours of unpaid community work and a two-month nightly curfew.
Miller and Thomas both faced sentencing for their roles in the incident. Following guilty plea reductions, Miller was sentenced to nine months in prison for criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon. Thomas received a 26-month custodial sentence after being convicted of unlawful wounding for striking Miss Choi, in addition to criminal damage charges.
Criminal Histories Revealed
The court heard that Paul and Christopher Jenkins had previous convictions, while Corey and Lisa Jenkins had no prior criminal history. In contrast, both Miller and Thomas were described as having extensive criminal records.
Thomas's record included handling stolen goods, possession of offensive weapons, affray, and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. Miller's criminal history featured convictions for affray, assault, arson, public disorder, and criminal damage. Both men were cleared at trial of violent disorder in connection with the incident, as was Mr. Dollimore.
The violent confrontation serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of taking the law into one's own hands, with multiple family members now facing significant prison time for their roles in the street brawl that terrorised their Swansea neighbourhood.
