EIGHT men from Stonehouse, Dursley and Gloucester accused of being involved in a huge brawl in which a motorist was attacked are to stand trial in Bristol in the new year.

Weapons including a mace, knives, a golf club and a dog chain with spikes are alleged to have been used in the fracas in Stonehouse on March 19 last year. 

All defendants denied charges of affray at Gloucester Crown Crown yesterday, Friday, September 7, in connection with the incident.

The accused are Mark Adams, 21, of Gloucester road, Stonehouse, Corrie Stobart, 18, of Valley Gardens, Kingsway, Gloucester, Charles Rees, 19, of Brisbane, Stonehouse, Alexander White, 18, of Midland Road, Stonehouse, Connor O'Dowd, 18, of Festival Road, Stonehouse, William de Havilland, 18, of Cedar Court, Dursley, Ashley Bracey, 22, of Park road, Stonehouse and Lee Harman, 24, of Charlecote Ave, Tuffley, Gloucester.

White, O'Dowd, de Havilland and Bracey also pleaded not guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm during the incident.

Harman denied a further charge of battery and White denied criminal damage to a vehicle.

Another defendant, Kenneth Cox, 19, of Juniper Ave, Matson, did not enter any plea to the affray charge after his barrister, William Woodman, said he felt professionally unable to continue representing him and withdrew from the case.

His plea will be taken when he has a new lawyer.

A tenth man, Alexander McDonald, 20, of Tuffley Lane, Gloucester, pleaded guilty to the affray charge. His sentencing was adjourned until after the conclusion of the trial of the other defendants.

Judge William Hart ruled that because of the number of defendants and the expected length of the case, the trial will have to be held at Bristol Crown Court, starting on Monday, January 28, 2013.

Before that, there will be a case management hearing at Bristol on October 19, the judge added.

It is alleged that weapons including a mace, knives and a golf club and a dog chain with spikes were used during the fracas which began at Stonehouse railway station and spread to other areas.