THREE men from a traveller’s site in Winterbourne have pleaded guilty to smashing up a caravan in a terrifying act of violence.  

Father John O’Driscoll, 52, and his sons Jason, 31, and Darren, 29, of the Northwood Park traveller’s site mounted an attack on their cousin’s caravan in Bradley Stoke using makeshift weapons.

A family feud prompted the men to visit Robert O’Donoghue and smash up his mobile home containing his wife and three-year-old son.

Bristol Crown Court heard that the attackers smashed the windows and screamed that Mr O’Donoghue was “dead” in June last year.

Richard Posner, prosecuting, described how the attack took place.

Addressing the court, he said: "Jason O'Driscoll had a baseball bat, Darren O'Driscoll had a small axe and John O'Driscoll had a large scythe.

"They were running towards Mr O'Donoghue saying he was "Going to F-ing have it now!."

Mr O'Donoghue managed to get inside the caravan with his wife and son, and lock the door, the court heard.

They only left when the victim’s mother, Geraldine O’Donoghue, returned home.

After arriving on the scene, police found a baseball bat under the damaged caravan.

Edward Mitchard, defending, mentioned that John O'Driscoll was suffering from cancer and scrap merchant Jason O'Driscoll and his wife had a disabled child to look after.

Edward Hetherington, defending Darren O'Driscoll, said: "This was a hugely regrettable family feud."

He told the court that Darren O’Driscoll believed his father to have been hurt in an attack and that they had decided to escalate matters with makeshift weapons.

Judge Michael Longman handed each man a 21-month suspended jail sentence.

The two sons were each ordered to perform 250 hours of unpaid work and their father – who is said to be in poor health - was told to abide by a six-month curfew from 8pm to 6am every night.

They were also told to pay £4,850 compensation, for damage caused to the caravan, over the next year.

The men were given a restraining order banning them from contact with their victims for three years.

The judge told the men: "You attacked the caravan, causing fear and distress to all of the occupants, including the victim's wife and child who, unsurprisingly, became hysterical."