The landlord of the pub said he thought someone would be killed

The men smashed windows of the Red Dragon pub on Wrexham's Caia Park estate because they believed men who had savagely beaten up one of their friends were in the bar.

The attack resulted in a pitched battle in the road outside, followed the next night by a mob of 200 people attacking police who had been called in to calm tensions.

What had gone on before was no excuse for what you did, although it is clear and powerful mitigation Judge Roger Dutton

A total of 31 people were jailed last year for their part in the disturbances in June 2003.

Judge Roger Dutton, sitting at Mold Crown Court, told the defendants that they had participated in a "disgraceful exhibition of violence" but he accepted that there were mitigating circumstances.

Three defendants were sentenced to eight months in jail, three received four months, and one received three months. Two other Iraqis were given conditional discharges.

Judge Dutton said the men had been provoked by a serious attack on one of their community by unknown men and that he was he was sure people on Caia Park knew who the attackers were but were too afraid to come forward.

The pub was wrecked in the attack by the Iraqi Kurdish men

The court heard how most of the defendants had been forced to flee Iraq because of beatings and torture, and had wanted to live peacefully in north Wales.

The hearing was told the men wrongly believed that the police were doing nothing after their friend received head injuries after being badly beaten up on the banks of the River Gwenfro by local men, and felt provoked to act as they did.

Judge Dutton said: "It is also clear that there was a relatively tense atmosphere in that area of the town which boiled over that night.

"There was among many a misplaced feeling of resistance that you, as newcomers in the area, were receiving some favourable treatment.

"Unfortunately, a hard core criminal element involved themselves in a serious physical attack on one of your countrymen. He was clearly very badly hurt.

Terrified children

"Those who are responsible, whether they be free men or undergoing sentences of this court for other offences, know perfectly well who they are."

The judge said he understood that the defendants felt provoked by the attack on their friend, and he accepted that they were all hard-working and of previous good character.

But he said that could never justify the attack on the pub, where many innocent people, including women and children, had been terrified.

One of the defendants, Sadiq Faraj, had been arrested wielding a weapon before the attack but the rest launched their assault after the police had gone.

Judge Dutton said: "What had gone on before was no excuse for what you did, although it is clear and powerful mitigation."

Affray

Defendants Hawbash Ahmed, 22, Omar Mohammed, 26, and Goran Tahir, 20, each received eight months.

Yadgar Ahmed, 27, Adnan Hassan, 27, and Ari Karim (21), were given four months each. All admitted affray.

Sadiq Faraj (19) was given three months. Both he and Riben Kamaran, 22, and Hamad Ahmed, 27, admitted threatening behaviour.

Kamaran and Ahmed were given a conditional discharge on the basis that they were present but had no weapons and took no part in violence.

North Wales Police Chief Superintendent Phil Thomson said more people are expected in court as a result of the disturbances on Caia Park.