Two guilty after mass brawl in barber shop over turf war

Two men involved in a mass brawl between rival barber shops on a busy high street have been found guilty of affray while a third man was found not guilty.

A group from Kurd Barbers in Newbridge, Caerphilly, "travelled mob-handed" to the neighbouring town of Blackwood to confront staff from rivals Marmaris Barbers, a jury at Newport Crown Court was told.

Sardam Ebrahimi, 27 from Newport, Shabab Husseini 26, Pontypool and Omed Pirot, 31 from Caerphilly all claimed they were defending themselves against attack from their rivals.

But the jury found Husseini and Pirot guilty of affray, while Sardam Ebrahimi, who told the court he was simply trying to defend his friends, was found not guilty.

The court was told the feud began when Pirot, who was attacked with a knuckle duster and suffered a fractured skull during the brawl, announced plans to open another shop in Newbridge.

Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said there was "absolutely no need" for those in the Blackwood barber shop to come outside to confront the men on 13 February last year, describing the brawl as "violence in broad daylight".

He told the jury of six men and six women: "The reason they came out was to have a fight.... and did so enthusiastically."

One person required hospital treatment for serious injuries and several had cuts and bruises and one man had a puncture wound in his back.

Five other men from the rival shops have already admitted affray.

The fight was captured on CCTV and involved up to 25 men. It broke out on the on the pavement outside the shop before spilling out across the busy high street.

A witness who was a passenger in a passing car called 999.

She told police she saw the two groups punching and kicking each other very aggressively.

She said she thought they were "intending to hurt each other, hitting each other very hard".

She added the brawl lasted about four minutes.

Off-duty Det Sgt Kelly Whistance, who was in the nearby hair salon Absolutely Fabulous, also saw the fight and told staff to lock the doors and call the police.

DS Whistance said the salon staff were "frantic and scared" that the men were going to enter the salon, as they were pushed against the window.

Judge Daniel Williams will sentence the men on 10 April.

Five other men who previously admitted affray will also be sentenced on that day.