Men jailed for 'serious incident' outside airport

Five men who carried out a serious attack outside Bristol Airport that holidaymakers thought was an "act of terror" have been jailed, police said.

Vladamir Stan, 52, Able Marin, 21, Florin Stan, 28, Constantin Stan, 29, and Emanuel-Ronaldo Dumitru, 27, assaulted two men with bats after crashing into them on 21 February.

The men pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Bristol Crown Court on 28 August and were jailed for a combined 16 years and 10 months.

Det Con Charlotte Couch, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "We understand the immense fear this incident caused, with witnesses believing at the time this was an active act of terror."

Det Con Ryan Hurt added: "This attack was a serious incident that was targeted and planned, occurring during a Saturday morning at an airport with no thought for anyone else including members of the public."

Police said the 21-year-old victim sustained cuts and bruises to his face and body, and the 37-year-old victim was left with knife wounds.

Bristol Crown Court heard how the five men arrived at the airport at about 08:30 GMT in separate cars and waited for their victims to leave the airport pick-up point.

When the two victims were in their vehicle, the gang targeted the car, colliding with it at a roundabout by the airport entrance on the A38, before getting out of their cars and attacking them using bats.

Det Con Hurt said the defendants and victims are known to each other and added they want to "reassure the public that we do not believe there to be any wider risk".

"The carelessness of those involved has had damaging physical and psychological effects on the victims one of which is still receiving physiotherapy and trying to return to living a normal everyday life," Det Con Hurt added.

Judge Burgess said the attack caused "serious fear and disruption" to other road users and holidaymakers, adding how witnesses thought it was a "terrorist incident" or "car-jacking".

"There was a significant number of resources dispatched to this incident, that responded quickly and efficiently, mitigating further risk and securing the offenders at the earliest opportunity and a number of detectives involved thereafter," Det Con Couch continued.

Vladamir Stan, Marin and Florin Stan also pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon.

Constantin Stan was jailed for four years, having also pleaded guilty to several shoplifting offences.

Vladamir Stan, Florin Stan and Marin were all sentenced to three years and three months in prison. Dumitru was jailed for three years and one month.

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.