A young man who escaped following his involvement in a large family altercation in the heart of Birmingham has been captured and sent to prison. Thomas Sweeney junior, who was due for sentencing in August 2024 after a tumultuous incident in the Gay Village a year earlier, was caught after evading authorities for over a year.
Previously, the 18-year-old, together with his mother Ellen Sweeney and father Thomas Sweeney senior, admitted to engaging in violent disorder. They had requested a delay in court proceedings to allow him to get married. However, on the day of sentencing, all three defendants failed to show up, sparking a search as it was believed they had fled back to Ireland.
About a month later, Judge Dean Kershaw imposed jail terms on them in absentia, with Sweeney junior receiving a 28-month sentence. After more than a year on the run, the now 19-year-old was apprehended on January 3 during a routine police stop on the M6 southbound. He was found to have outstanding warrants in addition to the Birmingham case.
Appearing via video link from HMP Altcourse in Liverpool, Sweeney junior admitted to failing to surrender to bail. His defense lawyer mentioned that he had panicked due to his young age and recent marriage, which led him to flee to Ireland. However, the judge rejected his claim of intending to surrender voluntarily.
Judge Kershaw decided to extend the punishment beyond standard guidelines by adding a two-month sentence to be served consecutively with the initial 28-month term. The incident involving the Sweeney family, accompanied by other relatives, occurred outside a nightclub in the Gay Village, resulting in violent confrontations with multiple individuals. Ellen Sweeney and Thomas Sweeney senior, who were also involved, are still evading capture.