A 25-year-old man was handed a suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine yesterday for his role in last month's St. David's gang riot.

Justin Denbrook entered a guilty plea for taking part in what Crown counsel Takiyah Burgess called "a large scale disorder incident" on Cooper's Island Road in St. David's on May 3.

Ms Burgess told the court that Denbrook was clearly shown on video footage of the brawl. The riot is said to have involved rivals from known gangs in three separate areas near Gombeys Restaurant & Bar at Clearwater Beach, at St. David's Cricket Club and near the entrance to St. David's.

Three men were taken to hospital with stab wounds after the mass fight, which is said to have involved up to 100 men armed with knives, machetes and baseball bats.

Denbrook, of Southside, was videotaped "throwing missiles", said Ms Burgess.

Defence lawyer Llewellyn Peniston argued that his client was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and questioned the accuracy of the word "missiles".

"My client is only guilty of throwing two rocks," Mr. Peniston said. "He deeply regrets this position. He was at Gombeys at the material time and it may have been difficult to extract himself from that mêlée."

Senior Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo noted that Denbrook was already on a year-long suspended sentence for two previous offences, and was 23 days shy of completing it. "I can activate this sentence," Mr. Tokunbo said. "Tell me why I shouldn't activate it."

Denbrook told the court he was trying to turn his life around for himself and his son, adding that he operated his own truck and was unable to work overtime hours due to the curfew imposed at his last court appearance.

He was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and given an 18-month suspended sentence, rather than six months in prison.

"This time don't forget what a suspended sentence is," Mr. Tokunbo warned. "If you're trying to turn your life around, you'll remember all that."

Seven other men are still to be tried in connection with the St. David's riot.