TWO brothers, their sister and her partner from Chester have avoided jail after they admitted their part in a brawl outside a city nightspot.

Kieran McGovern, Liam McGovern, Elizabeth McGovern and Curtis Rimmer claimed they had not started the fracas near the Live Rooms on March 3 this year.

But Chester Magistrates Court heard on Friday (September 6) that none could remember exactly what sparked it.

CCTV footage played to the court showed Kieran McGovern, decked out in shorts, launching a sustained attack on an unknown man, punching him while he was on the ground.

The 28-year-old later told police he had been drinking and taking cocaine earlier that day while watching the football and could not recall much of what happened.

In the video, Elizabeth McGovern, 26, can then be seen launching a kick at the victim and shortly afterwards Liam McGovern, 32, aims a kick at the man’s head.

Meanwhile, Rimmer, 27, had punched a stranger outside the venue but was then struck by the fifth defendant in the case, Albie Brocklehurst, 27, who may or may not have been a friend of the victim being attacked on the ground.

It was said that Rimmer had also tried to separate two other people who were fighting.

The brawl was eventually split up by security staff and police officers who were called to the scene.

Rob Youds, prosecuting, said the main complainant in the case had not wanted to give evidence so there was no information on what started the fighting.

“He [Liam McGovern] said that he was angry,” Mr Youds told the court. “He said it wasn’t them that started it and it was just their family retaliating.”

There were no reports of any injuries.

All five defendants pleaded guilty to affray at the first opportunity and there was much relief from their friends and family in the public gallery when it emerged none would face immediate custody.

Steve Coupe, defending the McGoverns and Rimmer, stressed they were all remorseful and had admitted their parts in the offence.

The McGovern siblings were only lightly convicted and Rimmer was a man of previous good character. However, it also emerged that the affray put Liam McGovern in breach of a conditional discharge for a public order offence that took place in Lache in April.

Richard Sibeon, for Brocklehurst, said his client was a carer for his mother and had struggled with mental health and drugs issues in the past.

He had recently spent a long stretch in prison, the licence period for which only ended in January this year – two months before the Station Road affray.

“He threw a punch to help the person on the floor,” Mr Sibeon said. “He deeply regrets that. He’s not a fighter.”

District Judge Alexandra Simmonds said it was an “extremely serious incident” but she would sentence the defendants on the basis that they did not start the fight.

“Something had occurred but each of you got involved and played a part,” she said.

Kieran McGovern, of Sycamore Drive, Lache, and Elizabeth McGovern, of Montrose Court, Saltney, were each sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Liam McGovern, of Sycamore Drive, Lache, was handed a 14-week prison sentence, also suspended for 12 months, and must complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity.

Rimmer, of Montrose Court, Saltney, was given a 12-month community order.

All four must complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay court costs and a victim surcharge.

Brocklehurst, of Silvermuir, Blacon, was handed a 12-month community order to include 35 days of rehabilitation activity and must also abide by a daily curfew from 6.30pm until 6am for 12 weeks.