Nine have been jailed for a total of nearly 16 years over 50-person wedding ‘bloodbath’

Nine family members have now been jailed for their parts in a ‘bloodbath brawl’ at a wedding reception which left a hotel with an £18,000 repair bill.

Michael Stokes, 56, dislocated his shoulder after throwing a chair during the 50-person brawl that caused £18,000 worth of damage to the Daresbury Park Hotel in Cheshire.

Eight members of his family have previously been jailed for their part in the violence, which saw some guests barricade themselves into a function room for safety.

More than £18,000 worth of damage was inflicted on the Daresbury Park Hotel in Warrington, Cheshire

John Stokes, 23, John Steven Stokes, 27, Stephen Stokes, 25, Brian Stokes, 25, and Edward Joseph Stokes, 21, were all jailed last month.

They were in the dock after Thomas Stokes, 30, Edward William Stokes, 28, Terry Stokes, 36 and Edward Stokes, 50, were also jailed for their parts in the mayhem.

Chester Crown Court heard how the brawl broke out at around 11.15pm on June 26, 2019 at the hotel and spa in Warrington.

John Stokes is one of the five defendants sentenced at Chester Crown Court over their role in the fight

Brian Stokes, of Crewe, was jailed for 18 months at Chester Crown Court following the mass brawl

Edward William Stokes, Terry Stokes and Thomas Stokes have all been jailed over the fight in June 2019

A barman said he saw three men arguing as he left to collect items from the main bar but when he returned, a huge fight between around 40 men had started.

CCTV footage showed glasses and chairs being hurled across the room.

The court also saw displays being torn down and a sweet cart and tables being overturned.

Stokes was shown to throw chairs and more than ten glasses across the room before he exited, the footage showed.

John Stokes and Edward Joseph Stokes have both been jailed for their involvement in the huge brawl

Stephen Stokes, of Fairfield and Howley, was sent to prison for 20 months. His mugshot shows him covered in cuts with blood dripping from his left eye

 But he then returned and was spotted throwing another chair and more glasses.

The court heard how £16,000 worth of ‘extensive’ damage was caused to the hotel, as well as damage of £2,400 to items belonging to the wedding planner.

In addition to the damage, which the Stokes family have paid for, £300 of alcohol was stolen as glass was taken for weapons.

In a statement, the hotel manager said the incident was the ‘worst he had ever seen in his career’ as the dance floor and walls were covered in blood and glass.

Wedding guests hid for cover after a 50-person mass brawl turned the ‘happy’ event into an absolute ‘bloodbath’

The wedding planner also said that nine years of stock was destroyed, which impacted other weddings who wanted to hire the items.

The court heard how Stokes previously pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder.

He also gave no replies during his police interview after initially claiming he was acting in self defence.

Stokes has a previous conviction for the same charge of violent disorder in 2013, which he was jailed for two years, in addition to previous convictions of dishonesty.

On the repeat of the violent disorder offence, Judge Simon Berkson remarked that Stokes has ‘clearly not learned his lesson’.

In defence of his client, Dafydd Roberts said that Stokes dislocated his shoulder during the violence and had to be treated in hospital.

He said: ‘The cost of the damage has been repaid, but the defendant is aware of the sentences passed to others, who were not able to buy themselves out of a prison sentence.

‘His last conviction was in 2015 and has not been in trouble since then, so this is not an entrenched pattern of offending.’

The barrister added that Stokes is a working man, whose employer speaks highly of him, and that his family will be impacted by his loss of earnings should he go to prison.

Before sentencing, Judge Berkson said: ‘The events of that day were truly shocking to anyone who saw them.

‘For those present and innocent, one can only imagine the fear.

‘What should have been a happy occasion, a wedding, turned into a bloodbath.

‘The suite was set up for a celebration, with a DJ playing music, people dancing and enjoying themselves.

‘This came to an end when violence broke out.

‘You participated in an incident with widespread violence.

‘It was persistent and sustained, causing serious disruption and a substantial effect on businesses.

‘It ruined the day of the newlywed couple.

‘In my judgement, the nature and extent of the event means punishment can only be achieved through immediate imprisonment.’ 

Stokes, of Crewe, Cheshire, was sentenced to two years in prison, taking the total jail time for those involved in the brawl to 15 years and 10 months.

Edward William Stokes, 28, of Milton Keynes, was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

Terry Stokes, 36, of Winsford, Cheshire, was jailed for 21 months.

Thomas Stokes, 30, of Milton Keynes, was sentenced for 25 months.

The huge brawl erupted between up to 50 guests at the wedding reception at Daresbury Park Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire, on June 26, 2019

Judge Berkson said: ‘The public would be rightly aghast if they saw what I have seen and an immediate custodial sentence was not passed.’

John Christopher Stokes, 23, of Antrim, Northern Ireland, was sentenced to 16 months.

Stephen Stokes, 25, of Fairfield, Warrington, was jailed for 20 months.

Brian Stokes, 25, of Crewe, Cheshire, was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

John Steven Stokes, 27, of Crewe, Cheshire, was jailed for 21 months.

Edward Joseph Stokes, 21, of Crewe, Cheshire, was sentenced for 18 months.

Edward Stokes, 50, of Crewe, who faced a lesser charge of threatening behaviour was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

The family could also be joined by Robert Reilly, 29, of Milton Keynes, who is due to learn his fate later this week.