Violence erupted on two successive nights in Caia Park

Seven men have been jailed for their part in rioting on a Wrexham housing estate in June which, the judge said, had no place in a civilised society.

All seven pleaded guilty to affray during violent clashes on the town's Caia Park estate, and were given prison terms of between 12 and 21 months.

Mold Crown Court heard that the men armed themselves with weapons including chair legs and golf clubs after the Red Dragon pub was attacked by Iraqi Kurd refugees.

The hearing on Friday was told that the refugees had gone there following an earlier attack on a member of their community, believing those responsible for it drank in the pub.

Despite the fact that a christening party was being held there at the time with a number of children present, the court heard how drinkers and other locals retaliated, smashing up chairs and tables during a '"terrifying" pitched battle.

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

The pub landlord - who had only taken over the pub two weeks before - described the scenes he saw as "World War III breaking out" and feared someone would be killed.

Judge Roger Dutton said: "Fortunately, in this modern age, what each of you were responsible for was at least to some extent captured on CCTV and I have seen that.

"You were all on one side of this outbreak of violence. The other faction, the Kurdish refugees who played just as violent a role in what took place, have also accepted their responsibility and are to be dealt with at the beginning of next year.

"You saw this as some sort of reaction, perhaps revenge, for the incident where the pub was damaged.

"But the fact remains that one incident cannot ever justify another taking place in the way that occurred here in any civilised country - a civilised country that is for the most part well behaved and will not tolerate grown adults chasing each other and hitting others with weapons such as sticks, planks and golf clubs."

The judge said law-abiding people on the estate would have been 'appalled'

Mark Anthony Roberts,37, from Llandrillo was sentenced to 15 months; Nicholas Glyn Roberts, 40, also of Llandrillo 21 months; Lee Scott Jones, 29, and Craig Loose, 31, both from Wrexham, 12 months; Martin Powell, 43, from Pandy 12 months; Anthony David Brown, 38, from Abenbury 15 months; Martin Williams, 37, of Y Wern 18 months.

In October, 24 people were given custodial sentences totalling 57 years and 10 months for violent disorder in the rioting in Caia Park.