Five men avoided jail after an argument over a spilled drink in a pub escalated into a "riot" requiring 20 garda vehicles.

Brian Mongan (30) of Mc Ulliam Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder and assault at The Castle Inn pub in Rathfarnham, Dublin on October 16, 2012.

Martin Mongan (39) of Mc Ulliam Park, Tallaght and Simon Reilly (28), Anthony Reilly (25) and Patrick Reilly (23) all from Rathbride Demense, Co Kildare also pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

The men, who are all related to each other, caused more than €26,000 worth of damage after a wedding party.

Judge Martin Nolan said the men caused "12 minutes of mayhem, violence, aggression and anarchy" after Brian Mongan spilled a drink over his cousin Simon Reilly.

CCTV footage showed men fighting and throwing glasses, chairs, fire extinguishers and other furniture around the pub. The owners and staff hid in the back lounge and cellar.

Andrew Reilly hit a middle-aged female relative with an armchair when he threw it from the balcony. Patrick Reilly did over €5,000 worth of damage when he threw two fire extinguishers across the pub.

Martin Mongan went behind the bar to get more glasses from a sink when he had thrown all the items available to him.

Judge Nolan said the men appeared otherwise to be of good character and said they acted "grossly reprehensibly".

He imposed three year sentences on each of the five men but suspended the sentences and ordered the men to pass on the €8,700 they had raised in varying individual amounts to gardaí who will pay it over to the owners of the Castle Inn.

The judge gave the men 12 months to come up with a further collective €5,400.

Irish Independent