Seven barbers sentenced after mass high street turf war brawl in Blackwood

Seven men who took part in a daytime brawl to settle a barber shop dispute have been given suspended jail terms. Cardiff Crown Court heard how three car loads of men linked to Kurd Barbers in Newbridge, Caerphilly, travelled to nearby Blackwood in February 2025 to confront owners of Marmaris barbers who they suspected of planning a rival shop in their town. One man suffered a fractured skull after the fight which began inside the barber shop, before spilling out across the street, bringing traffic to a standstill. Customers and staff at a hairdressing salon who witnessed the fight at around 14:30 GMT were said to be "frantic and scared" as the men fought and smashed against the salon window. CCTV footage shown during the sentencing hearing showed two of the men swinging weapons and one man being punched to the ground several times. Nuhu Gobir, prosecuting, said an off-duty police officer in a nearby hairdressers said staff were "frantic and scared that the males were going to get in", as they were pushed up against the window of the salon. The officer advised staff to lock the door and to call 999. Responding to calls that five men had been stabbed in Blackwood, police found three