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A family who armed themselves with weapons including a plank of wood studded with nails and launched a vigilante attack have been jailed after the violence left an innocent bystander seriously injured.
Swansea Crown Court heard how the disorder erupted on Rhodfa Brain in the Ravenhill area of Swansea on July 6 last year after two brothers smashed the windows of the Jenkins family home with golf clubs.
The window attack
Adam Miller, 34, and Kristian Thomas, 39, armed themselves with golf clubs and targeted the Jenkins family’s property, smashing several downstairs windows. The court was told their motivation appeared to stem from a belief that Corey Jenkins was involved in drug dealing in the local community.
After the attack, the pair walked to the nearby home of a relative, David Dallimore.
The retaliation
Rather than calling police, four members of the Jenkins family grabbed weapons and headed for Mr Dallimore’s address. Paul Jenkins, 64, armed himself with a hammer. His son Christopher, 45, and Christopher’s partner Lisa, 45, each carried sticks. Paul’s grandson Corey, 23, was the most heavily armed – wielding both a metal pole and the nail-studded plank of wood.
Craig Jones, prosecuting, told the court that “large scale public disorder” broke out in the street.
Innocent bystander hurt
During the chaos, Thomas struck out with a metal pole and hit a neighbour of the Jenkins family, Kirsty Choi, on the head while she was tending to a member of the Jenkins family who was lying on the floor.
Defence arguments
Hannah George, representing Paul Jenkins, said her client accepts he acted “entirely inappropriately” during what was an “ugly incident” in the street. She said he had been out of trouble since 1998 and that a pre-sentence report “shows some degree of remorse”.
Speaking for Lisa Jenkins, Miss George said the former carer and community centre chair understood “two wrongs don’t make a right” and was embarrassed at her involvement and the loss of her good character.
Andrew Evans, for Christopher Jenkins, said his client realised he should have called police rather than becoming involved in the “unsavoury incident”, adding that he was a “dedicated family man” who could never have imagined ending up in the dock of a crown court when he sat down for Sunday lunch with his family that day.
Caitlin Brazel, for Corey Jenkins, said the defendant was ashamed and embarrassed, and the conviction was something that deeply troubled him. She told the court his partner was due to give birth in July and that he was deeply anxious at the prospect of entering fatherhood while in custody.
Ian Ibrahim, representing Miller, said his client had gone to the Jenkins home over Corey Jenkins’ drug dealing and a £100 debt owed to him, and that the father-of-four “did not expect a reaction as furious as this one” – expecting instead that the family would simply call police. The court heard Miller had experienced a difficult childhood and had worked as a groundworker for around nine years.
Jon Tarrant, for Thomas, said his client had been released from prison in December 2022 with “good intentions” and had stayed out of trouble until these events.
Criminal records
Thomas was described as having an “extensive” record including handling stolen goods, possession of offensive weapons, affray, and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. Miller’s record was also described as “extensive”, including affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, arson, public disorder, and criminal damage.
Paul and Christopher Jenkins had previous convictions, while Corey and Lisa Jenkins were of previously good character.
Both Miller and Thomas were acquitted at trial of violent disorder in relation to the Rhodfa Brain incident. Mr Dallimore was also found not guilty.
Sentencing
Judge Catherine Richards said Miller and Thomas had started the incident when, “acting out of revenge” or “wanting to take the law into their own hands”, they smashed the Jenkins’ windows. She said the Jenkins family had then armed themselves and engaged in an act of “vigilantism” without a care for its impact on the wider community or the fear they would have caused residents.
The judge told Paul Jenkins that as the eldest family member and Corey’s grandfather, he should have set an example – especially to his grandson, whom she described as “out of control”.
Paul Jenkins, Christopher Jenkins, Corey Jenkins and Lisa Jenkins – all of Rhodfa Brain, Ravenhill, Swansea – had each pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. Thomas, of Tudno Place, Penlan, Swansea, had pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was convicted at trial of the unlawful wounding of Miss Choi. Miller, also of Tudno Place, had pleaded guilty to criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.
With guilty plea discounts, Paul Jenkins and Christopher Jenkins were each jailed for 18 months. Corey Jenkins received 22 months in prison. Miller was jailed for nine months and Thomas for 26 months. All will serve 40 per cent of their sentences in custody before release on licence.
Lisa Jenkins was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for 18 months, with 250 hours of unpaid work and a nightly curfew for two months.
