A gang of men who targeted a vulnerable individual in a violent attack have been jailed for a total of over 13 years.
Five men appeared at Preston Crown Court last week as a result of an assault in Harcourt Road, Lancaster in October 2008.
18-year-old Tyrone Richards (pictured above) of no fixed address, 21-year-old Adrian Kershaw (pictured left), of Ryelands Road, Lancaster, 18-year-old Liam Richardson (pictured below), also of Ryelands Road, and two teens, now aged 17 and 16, went to the house of their 29-year-old victim under the false impression that there were drugs at the address.
The group set about their victim, kicking and punching him to the head. The gang, excluding Richardson, returned later in the evening, this time stabbing their victim with scissors and a knife.
Having entered guilty pleas to section 18 wounding charges, Richards was given an indeterminate sentence, of which he will have to serve a minimum of two years; Kershaw was jailed for five years; the 16-year-old was jailed for three years and the 17 year-old was given a two-year detention centre and training order. Richardson pleaded guilty to a section 47 assault charge and was jailed for 12 months.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Mark Stephens, Lancaster CID, said: “This was a vicious but cowardly attack on a vulnerable member of the community. The level of violence used was quite sickening.
“The seriousness of their actions has been reflected in the sentence, which will keep these people off our streets for a considerable amount of time.”
“Tyrone Richards has been a particular danger to the community and that has been shown in his indeterminate sentence,” he added. “He will have to serve at least two years before he is even considered safe for release.”