Seven barbers sentenced after 'disgraceful' daytime turf war brawl
Seven men who took part in a daytime brawl to settle a barber shop dispute have been given suspended jail terms.
Cardiff Crown Court heard how three car loads of men linked to Kurd Barbers in Newbridge, Caerphilly, travelled to nearby Blackwood in February 2025 to confront owners of Marmaris barbers who they suspected of planning a rival shop in their town.
One man suffered a fractured skull after the fight which began inside the barber shop, before spilling out across the street, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Customers and staff at a hairdressing salon who witnessed the fight at around 14:30 GMT were said to be "frantic and scared" as the men fought and smashed against the salon window.
CCTV footage shown during the sentencing hearing showed two of the men swinging weapons and one man being punched to the ground several times.
Nuhu Gobir, prosecuting, said an off-duty police officer in a nearby hairdressers said staff were "frantic and scared that the males were going to get in", as they were pushed up against the window of the salon.
The officer advised staff to lock the door and to call 999.
Responding to calls that five men had been stabbed in Blackwood, police found three blood-stained men at Marmaris barbers and Bryar Muradi, 30, Baved Hamed, 30 and Shahab Husseini, 25, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.
A fourth man linked to the Blackwood barbers, Omed Pirot, 31, was arrested after he left hospital for treatment to a fracture to his forehead and eye socket.
Three men, Alan Karimi,31, Adnan Mohamad, 30, and Sadiq Krmani, 30, were arrested at Kurd Barbers in Newbridge. All three were wearing blood-stained clothing and had puncture wounds on their back.
Judge Daniel Williams described the fighting as a "disgraceful scene of public violence" where a "large number of people were affected".
He said: "This was affray committed in broad daylight in the high street of Blackwood. The violence stemmed from a feud between two barber shops.
"It was a pitch battle where members of the public, including children, were going about their business, and staff in local businesses were terrified."
Muradi, Karimi, Mohamad, Hamed and Krmani had earlier pleaded guilty to affray and on Friday were sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Pirot and Husseini, found guilty of affray after a trial last month, were each sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 18 months.
Judge Daniel Williams told the seven: "Each of you played a different role but I don't distinguish between you because you all attached yourself to a scene of disorder, and it was your collective violence which put fear into others."