Rival families in open warfare on Raffles estate in Carlisle

Last updated 11:41, Sunday, 12 October 2008

A judge described a street battle involving two feuding Carlisle families wielding metal bars and a meat cleaver as “open warfare”.

Joseph Kirkpatrick (left) and David Warwick

Peter Hughes QC called for the Kirkpatricks and the Douglas family to bring an end to the violence, saying anyone who saw them fighting on the Raffles estate would have been horrified.

He heard how police arrived at Shady Grove Road, where both families lived at the time, to discover the aftermath of a “substantial fight”.

Those involved were spared jail yesterday, but warned they may not be again if more trouble between the families ever flared.

At Carlisle Crown Court, Abby Douglas, 19, her boyfriend David Warwick, 21, and Marshallann Douglas, 23, pleaded guilty to affray.

Joseph Kirkpatrick, 23, and Joan Douglas, 45, admitted to a public order offence of using threatening or abusive behaviour.

Trouble flared between the rival families just after 7pm on February 23.

During the disturbance, a woman, Karen McFarlane, was injured and had to be taken to hospital.

During the incident, Abby Douglas struck Joseph Kirkpatrick with an iron bar.

Although David Warwick waved a meat cleaver, he did not use it against anyone. Marshallann Douglas picked up a wooden chair leg that had been discarded by another man, George Kirkpatrick.

Joseph Kirkpatrick admitted arming himself with an iron bar while Joan Douglas admitted being threatening towards members of the Kirkpatrick family.

An earlier court hearing heard problems had been caused by the breakdown of a relationship between a member of the Kirkpatrick family and a Douglas.

Sentencing, Judge Hughes said: “It was a disgraceful incident of members of two families engulfed in what was like open warfare.

“Anyone who happened across what was taking place would have been totally horrified to see that sort of incident out on the street in Carlisle.”

Joan Douglas was ordered to do 60 hours of unpaid work in the community.

All those in the dock beside her were sentenced to four months in jail – suspended for two years – and 100 hours of unpaid community work.

Judge Hughes added: “Members of the Kirkpatrick and Douglas families need to bury the hatchet.

“This is not a way in which to settle your differences and should members of any family come back to court in future because they have been feuding they can expect a very different course of action.”

None of those involved had previous convictions for violence or public disorder.

At a hearing last month, Thomas William Kirkpatrick, 19, and 30-year-old George Kirkpatrick were each bound over to keep the peace to the sum of £500 for 12 months.