SEVEN men have been jailed for a total of eight years for their part in the Caia Park riots.

Judge Roger Dutton imposed prison sentences of 12 months and 15 months on the defendants, who all admitted affray charges.

Mold Crown Court heard how they armed themselves with weapons including table and chair legs and golf clubs when the Red Dragon pub on the Caia Park Estate was attacked by Iraqi Kurd refugees.

They had gone to attack the pub after one of them, Hosham Kadir, had been badly assaulted and was left with serious injuries.

A Christening party had been going on at the pub, there were a number of women and children present, but it was smashed up.

The court heard how the new licensees of the pub feared someone would be killed and described the pitched battle as World War Three.

Judge Roger Dutton said all the defendants were involved in a serious outbreak of public violence where they, and the other faction, all had weapons.

'Fortunately, in this modern age, what each of you were responsible for was at least to some extent captured on CCTV and I have seen that,' the judge said.

'You were all on one side of this outbreak of violence. The other faction, the Kurdish refugees who played just as violent a role in what took place, have also accepted their responsibility and are to be dealt with at the beginning of next year.'

The judge told the defendants: 'You saw this as some sort of reaction, perhaps revenge, for the incident where the pub was damaged. You are grown men. You should be showing your children an example as to the way decent men behave.

'Your lawless behaviour should not be allowed to besmirch the reputation of all the decent people who live in that area.

'They are understandably ashamed and thoroughly disgusted by what you contributed to.' the judge told them.

The court heard how the violence was sparked off by a vicious attack on a young Iraqi Kurd living on the estate.

Members of the Iraqi community believed the attackers - who have never been caught - had gone to the Red Dragon pub on the estate.

They attacked it - smashing doors and windows.

But customers inside, and other locals, armed themselves and it all ended up in a pitched battle on the estate.

Peter and Patricia Thomas had only been living at the pub for two weeks at the time of the disturbance.

Mr Thomas said it was as if World War Three had broken out, said prosecuting barrister Steven Everett.

'After an earlier incident Mr and Mrs Thomas were both feeling nervous but, when the second incident took place Mr Thomas thought that somebody was going to be killed', he said.

Mark Anthony Roberts, 37, his brother Nicholas Glyn Roberts , 40, both of Llandrillo, Anthony David Browns, 37, of Abenbury and Martin Williams, 38, of Wrexham, were each jailed for 15 months.

Lee Scott Jones, 29, Craig Loose, 31, both of Wrexham and Martin Powell, 43, of Pandy, each received 12 months.