A ROW during a night out in Cockermouth sparked a family feud, a court has heard.

Monday’s hearing at Carlisle Crown Court heard that trouble between the Rumneys, from Harriston, and Irwins, from Prospect, first flared on May 27 when Irwin argued with Joseph Rumney, brother of Stephen, while in Cockermouth.

Monday’s hearing saw members of two families prosecuted following the incident.

Stephen Easterbrook Rumney, 27, of Harriston, was jailed after pleading guilty to two counts of using threatening words or behaviour on May 27 and again at the house of Cheryl Wilson, the girlfriend of Stuart Irwin’s brother Mark, on June 9.

Recorder Stuart Riordan sentenced Rumney to two consecutive three-month periods for the incidents.

He is expected to be released from jail in around two weeks after serving much of his sentence already.

Keith Thomas, barrister for Rumney, said: “He wrongly allowed himself to become embroiled in a situation. He was not the instigator.”

Stuart Irwin, a 24-year-old county bowls player and Aspatria FC player, was given a community order and must complete 40 hours of unpaid work.

Irwin, a full-time bricklayer with no previous convictions, also pleaded guilty to using threatening words or behaviour during the incident on May 27.

Recorder Riordan, who read testimonials about Irwin, said: “I am not going to try and decide who started it, how it started or who did what. You both behaved in a disgraceful manner.

“Both of you had weapons on you. In addition, Stephen Rumney, you have pleaded guilty to a further offence of threatening behaviour several days later involving two of the witnesses in the case.”

Trouble started on May 27 when Irwin argued with Joseph Rumney, brother of Stephen, in Cockermouth.

Irwin was out with family and friends to celebrate an Aspatria FC presentation night.

Prosecutor Jonathan Dickinson told the court that someone in the party later received a telephone call to say that Stuart Irwin’s car window and the windows to his mother’s house had been smashed.

Irwin believed the call was linked to the earlier argument with Joseph Rumney. He did not know that Joseph Rumney had been taken into police custody following a dispute with a doorman.

A large group of around 15 people, including members of the football club, later gathered in Harriston kicking and punching Joseph Rumney’s front door.

When Stephen Rumney, his brother Mark and parents went outside to see what was going on the incident erupted and during which both Rumney and Irwin had weapons - a Swiss Army knife and metal bar respectively.

Rumney’s second offence on June 9 involved him going to the home of Cheryl Wilson, one of the witnesses and a girlfriend to Mark Irwin, Stuart’s brother. He shouted through the windows at her.

Irwin attended court with his parents and partner.