Hugh Crumlish (23) and Martin Crumlish (27), both with addresses at Coolcullen Meadow in Enniskillen and Patrick Crumlish (56) whose address was given as within the vicinity of Main Street, Belcoo each pleaded guilty to charges of two counts of possession of an offensive weapon, and one count of possession of a blade or pointed weapon. 

The men were found with the weapons, which were listed on their charge sheets as being a pick axe handle, a knife, a samurai sword and two slash hooks, in their van on November 9 last year. 

The court heard on Monday there had been an ongoing dispute between Patrick Crumlish and his brother, during which the Crumlish family car was attacked, and threats were made to family members on the other side of the dispute.

Those accused of carrying out the attack on the car had the charges against them subsequently dropped and the court was told the weapons charges against the three Crumlish men were the only charges now before the court in relation to the incidents. 

Defence barrister Stephen Mooney, representing Martin Crumlish, said there had been “some sort of bad blood” proceeding the incidents on November 9, and said the Crumlish family car had been attacked not long before they were found with the weapons. 

Mr Mooney, who explained other family members had similar or the same names as each other, causing confusion, said his client and the other men had been in the act of “tooling up” for defensive purposes when the police found the weapons but had not been “going out looking for trouble”. He added that “thankfully” police encountered them before anything happened. 

Mr Mooney said the “bad blood” between the families now appeared to have ended and the “hands  seem to have been shaken.” 

He said his client, who entered an early guilty plea, had been on bail since the incident and had lived with the stress and inconvenience of the charges hanging over them since. Explaining how his immediate family relied on him, he said his client was anxious not to go to prison. 

Barrister for Patrick Crumlish, Joe McCann, said his client had also entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and the incident was out of character for him, asking for Deputy District Judge Peter King not to impose a custodial sentence on his client, who had no relevant previous convictions. He added his client, who suffered from health issues, had a daughter getting married and wanted to walk her down the aisle, and said he was an important member of this family’s community. 

Referring to the damage done to the Crumlish family car earlier on the day they were arrested for the weapons, Mr McCann said that while those accused of carrying out the damage had the charges against them dropped, there had still been £1,200 of damage done to the car. 

Hugh Crumlish was represented by barrister Heather Phillips who said the feud incident appeared to be “complex” but was now resolved. 

Ms Phillips said her client, who had 13 previous convictions, was fearful of a custodial sentence but had not come to attention since the November incident and asked for “something to be left hanging over his head.”

Deputy District Judge Peter King said he was concerned about the nature of the offences, adding it was “clear I’m only hearing half of the story, and I suspect that is all anyone will ever hear.”

Judge King said people can’t take the law into their own hands and vigilantism would not be tolerated. He said “at first blush” the facts of the incidents of the family dispute were shocking, and said “this is real life, not a video game” and told the three men “this is not Grand Theft Auto Enniskillen.”

He sentenced all three men to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, and order the weapons be destroyed.