A mother-of-12 and her huge family is on the run from police after “one of the worst street fights ever seen”.
The brawl in Birmingham has led to reports of Ellen Sweeney, 39, Thomas Sweeney, 43, and Thomas Sweeney junior, 18, fleeing to the Republic of Ireland.
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The family members have twice failed to appear at court in relation to the disorder in the early hours of July 15 last year.
After the second no-show in a fortnight on Tuesday, a judge deemed them as “cowards” whilst sentencing the absentees who have all previously pled guilty to violent disorder charges.
Last year, the Sweeneys, David Mongan, 18, and at least four other relatives were involved in the drunken attack outside of Glamourous nightclub in the Gay Village district.
One victim was left with a laceration to the chest after being cut with a glass bottle, whilst another who suffered blows to the head has since experienced seizures.
Another was repeatedly punched and stamped whilst on the ground until he was knocked unconscious.
Despite the three attackers fleeing before their sentencing, Mongan, of Frederick Road, Stechford, was jailed for three years.
Whilst appearing at Birmingham Crown Court, Mongan admitted violent disorder and three separate shoplifting offences.
During sentencing, Judge Dean Kershaw said: “You are all cowards, complete and utter cowards, engaging in violence against people when they were intoxicated and drunk.
“Using that mob culture to attack people in that way, this is one of the worst violent disorders in this city with multiple people being attacked, assaulted, kicked in the body and kicked in the head.”
The court heard from prosecutor Alura Bather who explained how the violence erupted after Thomas senior got into a verbal spat with another individual.
Bather said that the spoken altercation on Hurst Street then turned “physically aggressive”.
Whilst Senior made claims to being racially abused, no further proof was brought forward to strengthen these claims.
Other evidence was presented, including CCTV of Thomas Jr and Mongan chasing the male through the Gay Village.
The latter then proceeded to knock him to the floor and was counted to have delivered 21 punches and 14 kicks to the victim.
He could even be seen punching a second member of the public who attempted to stop the violence.
Thomas senior then managed to join in whilst Ellen Sweeney seemingly attempted to protect the man from her own family before she was dragged away.
The prosecutor continued to explain how Ellen Sweeney then entered into a verbal dispute with another woman who Ellen punched and called a “w***e”.
Violent scenes were exasperated with the woman’s friend being glassed across her chest by one of the defendants’ family members.
Whilst another man who appeared to be sat on a large concrete block, not involved with the fighting, was punched to the floor as well.
Thomas Jr then proceeded to lash out at a taxi driver whilst Ellen Sweeney could be seen throwing further punches at someone else.
Continuing their chase, the family did not let up despite the female victims attempting to flee on foot and failing to flag down a bin lorry driver.
The pursuit continued with Mongan punching and kicking one of the women until the victim was on the floor.
Police arrested some of the individuals involved once they arrived at the scene soon after.
After claiming Thomas Jr was due to get married, the Sweeney family members were bailed at a previous hearing to an address in Croydon, London.
The Metropolitan Police have blamed new staff and bail books not being regularly checked as reasons for their absence and breach of bail until August 21 going unnoticed.
Whilst earlier enquiries were made to the Croydon address, police attended again at 2am on the morning of their sentencing and found the lights still on and a completely empty property.
The court were then informed how Ellen Sweeney had been the family’s main point of contact and had even phoned her solicitors the previous day to suggest she had got the court date wrong and taken the family to Scotland.
Alarm bells were only raised after an investigation into Ellen Sweeney’s phone showed a location in the Republic of Ireland.
Judge Kershaw said: “It’s all nonsense. She’s in Ireland ringing on the 29th saying she thought it (the court date) was tomorrow.
“What is she going to do swim across The Channel? This is just a ruse. I warned them.”
He then added that Interpol and the Irish Authorities would be involved.
Meanwhile, Mongan was remanded in custody and has since been sentenced to three years and four months for shoplifting more than £8,500-worth of goods which he carried out with others.
Mongan’s defence counsel, Philip Brunt, described him as “immature” and “intoxicated” during the violent street attack.
Thomas Jr was sentenced to two years and four months detention, with Morgan Pirone mitigating that his actions were out of character.
After his defence counsel, Jordan Warren, made claims that Thomas Sr has suffered from a “significant amount of trauma”, the father received two years and ten months.
The mother-of-12, Ellen Sweeney received one year and 11 months after her defence, Jas Dhaliwal, suggested she was “extremely ashamed”.
Judge Kershaw considered offering Ellen a suspended sentence but feared she would not comply with community-based punishment after she failed to appear in court.
Metropolitan police have been approached for comment in regard to the breach of bail conditions going unnoticed until August 21.