COURT: Four sentenced after violence erupts on Brookenby street

Violence erupted in a village street after two families clashed, Lincoln Crown Court was told yesterday (Monday).
Court news.Court news.
Court news.

The trouble broke out in Dale View Road, Brookenby, after Stephen Arthur Kennington called at the home of neighbour Tony Haddaway.

Sarah Knight, prosecuting, said that Kennington, who was wearing a balaclava, head-butted Mr Haddaway.

Ms Knight said: “He [Kennington] then picked up a pole and thrashed it around. He went on to hit two cars with the pole.

“James Kennington then took the pole and thrashed it around.

“Kyle North and Stephen John Kennington arrived shortly afterwards.

“Stephen John Kennington picked up a brick. He threw it and it struck his own mother. She was not the intended target.

“This was a serious incident and residents would have been extremely frightened.”

Stephen Arthur Kennington, 44, of Dale View Road; James Kennington, 22, of Dale View Road; and Stephen John Kennington, 23, of Kent Road; each admitted a charge of affray arising out of the incident on the evening of November 9, 2014.

Kyle North, 21, of John Street in Market Rasen, admitted threatening behaviour.

Stephen Arthur Kennington, James Kennington and Stephen John Kennington were each given a 12 month jail sentence suspended for 12 months. Stephen Arthur Kennington was also given 150 hours of unpaid work, while James Kennington and Stephen John Kennington were each given 100 hours of unpaid work.

Kyle North was given a community order with 60 hours of unpaid work.

Sam Skinner, in mitigation, said that Stephen Arthur Kennington received a serious injury as a result of the incident.

He said all four defendants had been the subject of curfews since over a lengthy period of time and urged they should not be sentenced to immediate prison sentences.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, said: “You were all involved in a deeply unpleasant public disorder in the street. It was effectively a dispute between families.

“If this case had come before me at the beginning of 2015 I would inevitably have sent the three of the Kenningtons to custody. It didn’t and you have all stayed out of trouble since.”

In a separate case, the court was told that Paul Rice, the son of Mr Haddaway’s partner, became involved in the violence after being told about the initial incident in which Mr Haddaway was head-butted.

Abigail Joyce, prosecuting, said Rice had previously been a friend of the Kenningtons but things deteriorated between them.

She told the court that the violence was triggered by Stephen Arthur Kennington head-butting Mr Haddaway.

Ms Joyce said: “It seems that Paul Rice was initially not present but seems to have been contacted by others and informed of what was taking place.

“Mr Haddaway was taken into his house with pains in his chest,

“Paul Rice arrived and there was a stand-off.

“Stephen Arthur Kennington ran towards the Rice family members. Rice was seen to throw a brick into the Kennington family gathering. It would appear to have struck Stephen Arthur Kennington.”

Ms Joyce said that during an incident that followed, Stephen Arthur Kennington fell to the ground injured. He suffered a serious life threatening stab wound but, said the prosecutor, it was not clear how that happened and no-one was charged over that incident.

Paul Rice, 38, of Merlin Road, Brookenby, admitted affray and possession of an offensive weapon on November 9, 2014.

He was given an 18 month community order with 18 months supervision and ordered to complete a thinking skills course.

Sheila Whitehead, in mitigation, said Rice had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and since the incident has been subjected to a 10 hour night-time curfew.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told him: “Effectively your role in this disgraceful incident was to be called in and you threw a brick striking one of the Kenningtons.

“If this case had come before me in 2014 or 2015 not only you, but all of the Kenningtons, would have gone to prison.”