A group of people who took part in a mass punch-up at a baby's inquest in Maidstone has avoided going to prison.

Before leaving court the four were given a dressing down by the judge, who warned them not to repeat the incident, when the hearing into the mysterious death resumes.

Three of the brawlers, from the family of the dead child, each received suspended jail sentences.

And the fourth Joe Elkington-Rose, 24, of St Paul's Close, Strood, the ex-boyfriend of the baby's mother, received a community order.

The incident, described as 'fast and frightening', saw chairs and punches being thrown at Maidstone's Archbishop's Palace in November 2018.

Violence broke out after Elkington-Rose refused to give evidence, claiming he had received threats of violence.

Assistant coroner, Ian Wade QC, was trying to persuade him to answer questions at the inquest into the death of baby Jimmy Robinson.

Tommy Robinson, 23, of Connaught Road, Chatham, the baby's grandfather James Robinson, of North Dane, Chatham, and aunt Abbey Pert, 30, of Pretoria Road, Gillingham were convicted of affray.

They each received five month prison sentences suspended for 18 months and were ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work for the community.

Elkington-Rose, who was convicted of a lesser offence of threatening behaviour, received a 12-month community order and will do 120 hours' of community work.

James Robinson, who defended himself during the trial at Maidstone Crown Court, pleaded with the judge to spare his daughter Abbey.

He said: "If you put me away, could you keep my daughter out? If I go to prison it just ruins a lot of people's lives. I am very sorry for what happened in the court but I can't help what I believe in my heart."

Judge Julian Smith told him: "Whatever your beliefs are and whatever your concerns are, there was no justification for what happened."

He added that while he understood their "overwhelming distress, anxieties, pain and sense of loss", what happened that day was "shameful and discreditable."

"Let me be blunt if it happens again, if there is a further incident and god forbid, another court case arising from this tension, it is common sense that, the court will deal with you in a much harder way."

The inquest had been looking into the circumstances surrounding the death of baby Jimmy, who had died five days before his second birthday in June 2017.

Prosecutor Patricia May said a police investigation into the death had resulted in "no arrests or charges of any individual and the cause of death could not be ascertained."

A new date is to be set for the hearing to resume.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

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