Three members of a family who “kicked off” at a pub wake following a funeral brought about the premature closure of the premises, a court heard.

Daniel Collingwood, Robert Collingwood and Tina Peacock were involved at different levels in a disturbance in which a barmaid and co-landlord of the Three Tuns, in Shildon, were attacked and glasses were smashed.

Durham Crown Court was told the trio were among a number of people present at the wake, at the pub, in Association Street, on the evening of June 28, last year.

Joe Hedworth, prosecuting, said “ironically”, Daniel Collingwood was previously barred from the premises under the Pub Watch scheme, but the joint landlord lifted the ban that day so he could attend the family wake.

Read more: Rogue roofer from Shildon jailed for ripping off vulnerable resident

Mr Hedworth said by about 8pm a number of people present said Daniel Collingwood should leave as they felt he was, “about to kick-off”.

He kept standing on a table and was asked to get down by the barmaid, to whom he responded: “You are not very impressive, you are a little man.”

Collingwood then charged towards her and pushed her into a bin, causing a friction burn to her neck.

Mr Hedworth said he had to be held back by the co-landlord to prevent him getting to the barmaid, but then Robert Collingwood intervened.

He told the barmaid: “If you keep running your mouth, you won’t have a life”, and told the co-landlord: “If you keep running your mouth, you won’t have a pub."

Mr Hedworth said Peacock knocked off the glasses of the landlord who was telling them to leave.

Robert Collingwood then threw six glasses at the barmaid, who was, by then, back behind the bar, and she sustained a small cut and a red mark to her shoulder, where she was hit by one of them.

Mr Hedworth said Daniel Colllingwood smashed six more glasses and by then the other joint landlord, who had been upstairs in the family quarters, came down to investigate the cause of the disturbance.

He managed to stop Daniel Collingwood “in his tracks” as he attempted to smash a window in the back door, and everyone was then asked to leave.

Peacock responded with verbal abuse and punched him on the nose, causing a bruise, while Robert Collingwood punched him four times in the face causing dental fractures.

Daniel Collingwood then picked up a table in the bar and Robert Collingwood flipped a tray holding 16 glasses, causing all to smash.

Mr Hedworth said the whole incident lasted up to half-an-hour before the perpetrators left the premises.

Daniel Collingwood was arrested nearby despite being abusive to a police officer, claiming he had not done anything, and had to be pepper-sprayed.

Robert Collingwood and Peacock were arrested later and cautioned, but all three made no comment when they were questioned.

Mr Hedworth said one of the co-landlords suffered two broken teeth and damage to another, requiring lengthy dental treatment.

He said the pub could not be opened the following day, and with it already up for sale, he decided to close completely.

Read more: Man's bid to find work in UK ends in 'disaster' in Shildon

Robert Collingwood, 43, of Sccott Street, Shildon, admitted unlawful wounding and causing an affray.

Daniel Collingwood, 33, formerly of Ivatt Walk, Shildon, admitted affray and causing criminal damage.

The court heard he is now serving another sentence, for domestic violence, in Holme House Prison, Stockton, imposed in January this year.

Peacock, 55, also of Scott Street, admitted threatening words and behaviour.

Mark Styles, for Daniel Collingwood, said the sentence he is now serving, of 30 months, was imposed for a domestic assault committed after the pub incident and it would have been preferable for all his offending to have been dealt with at the same time.

But Mr Styles said the defendant has “responded well” while in custody where he has enhanced status.

Jonathan Walker, for Robert Collingwood, described the incident as, “an aberration on his part, in what must have been a powder keg environment.”

He said it was the culmination of a mixture of "grief and drink", that led him to behave in a way he has not done since his younger days.

Recorder Peter Makepeace told Dr Chris Wood, representing Peacock, that, given the fact she is previously “lightly convicted”, he would pass a 12-month community order to include 200-hours’ unpaid work.

But Recorder Makepeace imposed immediate prison sentences of two years on Robert Collingwood and 12 months on Daniel Collingwood, in his case only starting upon the expiry of the sentence he is now serving.

He told them that it should have been, “a respectful and decent event” at the Three Tuns, that evening.

“At the very least, people attending a wake should expect to be safe and not expect this level of violence.”

Read next:

Get all the latest crime and court updates, for less than the price of a coffee, with a Premium Plus digital subscription to The Northern Echo. Click here

He told Daniel Collingwood, who had already been advised to leave, that he was, “a powder keg ready to go off” and if he had behaved himself, “it would not have kicked off like it did.”

Recorder Makepeace told both Daniel and Robert Collingwood their reactions were “highly dangerous” and they were responsible for, “a prolonged and persistent act of public violence.”

All three defendants were made subject of restraining orders forbidding them from approaching or contacting the barmaid and joint landlords of the pub, for five years each.