Three brothers jailed over pub brawl which led to death of ‘hero’ ex-soldier

Three brothers have been jailed over a pub fight which ended in the death of a “hero” soldier who served in Afghanistan.

Mark Barrs, 39, was fatally stabbed during a brawl outside The Old Hat pub in Ealing, west London, last April 6.

Midway through his trial, Cleveland McEntee, 40, of Hammersmith, west London, admitted his murder and was jailed for life on Tuesday with a minimum term of 23 years.

His brother Leon Woods, 42, from Ealing, west London, admitted the lesser offence of manslaughter and was jailed for seven years.

Third sibling Tron McEntee, 35, of Perivale, north-west London, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was handed 12 months in custody by Judge Rebecca Trowler KC.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Barrs’ grandmother, Christine Blinco, said she was “completely heatbroken” at how her grandson’s life was “brutally” taken away “for no real reason”.

She said: “Imagine our hero made it home from Afganistan to lose his life on a London street, that is torment that I will take to my grave.”

Previously, prosecutor Anthony Orchard KC had said police were called to The Old Hat pub at 7.46pm on the night of the killing.

Officers found Mr Barrs lying on the pavement by a white van with a stab wound to the chest.

Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he was declared dead at 8.49pm.

Inquiries found there had been a fight in the courtyard of a nearby pub involving Mr Barrs and at least five others, including the defendants.

During the altercation, Cleveland McEntee had produced a knife and stabbed Mr Barrs in the chest.

Mr Orchard said the fight appeared to have erupted after a dispute between Mr Barrs and Woods, who had been drinking in the pub.

Woods then contacted his two brothers and the row resumed after the siblings arrived.

They moved outside to the courtyard where the fight “kicked off”, Mr Orchard had said.

In mitigation, Lewis Power KC read a letter from Cleveland McEntee to the victim’s family saying: “I am truly sorry for the pain I have caused you all.”