Golf clubs and machete wielded in street row
The brothers pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
Two brothers wielded golf clubs during a violent fracas between feuding families.
The row broke out in broad daylight outside Supermac’s in Ballinrobe.
James Barrett, aged 25, and Coleman Barrett, aged 21, formerly of Ballinrobe but now residing in Kilcolman, Ballyneety, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to charges of violent disorder and no car insurance.
The fight between the brothers and two members of another family broke out at around 5.30pm outside Supermac’s, Cornmarket, Ballinrobe on April 10, 2023.
CCTV was played in court which showed the Barretts pull up in their car outside Supermac's. James entered the restaurant while Coleman remained in the car.
Another vehicle containing two men pulled up behind their car. A row between the four men began after James emerged from Supermac’s.
All four men had implements with the Barrett brothers carrying golf clubs. Coleman was knocked to the ground and sustained a head wound after he was struck with what is believed to have been a machete.
The violent incident lasted less than three minutes. The other family took off in their car and the Barretts pursued them with James driving due to Coleman’s injury.
The two cars ended up crashing in a field 5km away. The Barretts' car was turned upside down and they had to be cut from the vehicle by emergency services. The other parties left the scene unscathed.
Coleman Barrett has two previous convictions while James has none.
As part of their bail conditions and the ongoing feud, the pair were barred from Mayo and Galway and now reside in Limerick.
The court heard the fight began after a punch was thrown at James Barrett.
The siblings were represented in court by two barrister brothers, Simon and Rob Crowley, who said this was their clients' first and last involvement in the feud.
The court was told the altercation was not pre-arranged and it was an “unlucky coincidence” that the parties ended up at Supermac’s at the same time.
The duo also faced charges for driving without insurance. Coleman Barrett allowed his vehicle to be used by his brother while James Barrett was not insured to drive his brother’s car.
Judge Eoin Garavan said the violent episode was a “scary moment for people going about their normal business in Ballinrobe". He said the brothers did not pretend to be “Severiano Ballesteros” and had admitted they had the golf clubs in the car for self-defence purposes.
The judge said he accepts the brothers may have “felt fear and overreacted". The defendants were each given a 12-month suspended jail sentence and disqualified from driving for a year.
