Two jailed after family brawl at funeral

Two men have been jailed for their roles in a brawl between two sides of a family following the funeral of their "matriarch".

Police were called to a large fight outside Grimethorpe Methodist Church in Barnsley on 21 February 2025, following the funeral of Margaret Nicholson.

Jesse Nicholson-Allcock, 27, of Long Acre, Moss Croft Lane, Doncaster, was jailed for 22 months after admitting violent disorder. Micko Allcock, 21, of the same address, was handed a 16-month sentence after pleading guilty to wounding at Sheffield Crown Court.

The men were among five members of the family charged in relation to the brawl with the judge stating they had all behaved in an "utterly deplorable way."

The court heard Nicholson had been important to both sides of the family, but a disagreement began outside of the church following the funeral service.

Some of those involved on each side suffered facial injuries, had an unnamed substance thrown over them, and one was injured through "reckless contact" after Allcock pulled out a knife.

Some people began to leave the scene and get into their vehicles which were parked at the nearby Asda, and two collided in the car park.

Charles Wilson Junior, 19, got out of his parents' car "in anger" and chased one individual, while Edward Wilson, of Broadway in Doncaster, produced a hammer during the disorder.

Judge David Dixon said the incident must have been "terrifying" for members of the public in the area.

"Imagine what you what have felt like if it was you – you're doing your shopping and all of a sudden there's a group of men running around, there's hammers and glass smashing and people chasing."

He said there was "obviously a good deal going on" in terms of context that neither side of the family had told him about.

"It makes it difficult to form a view if this is revenge, a simple fallout, a bad day. I simply don't know," he added.

Charles Wilson Junior, of Norwood Road in Doncaster, was handed a 14-month sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to undertake 20 rehabilitation days and 150 hours of unpaid work after admitting violent disorder.

His father, Charles Wilson Senior, 39, of the same address, had made threats of violence during the group fight at the church and had been "in the middle of the melee".

He also admitted violent disorder and was given a 22-month jail sentence suspended for two years, along with 15 rehabilitation days and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Edward Wilson, 38, was handed a 16-month sentence suspended for two years, along with 20 rehabilitation days and 150 hours of unpaid work, for one count of violent disorder.

Judge Dixon said that him having a hammer was less serious, as fewer people were around and the action was "shorter lived" compared to other parts of the disorder.

He imposed a three-year restraining order banning all five defendants from contacting three individuals from the other side of the family directly or indirectly.

"The problem when things go wrong when there are crowds of people is that people can get sucked in and innocent people hurt," he added.

"Also, people, for what are generally utterly stupid reasons, join in."

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