Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia

Five British Youngsters Including a Girl Jailed for Brutal Attack on Man

by Gopalan on Jul 30 2008 4:19 PM

Five British youngsters including a girl have been jailed for brutal attack on a man in March last. The vicious kicks and punches captured on CCTV are found sickening.

After an argument with the 27-year-old victim the group bashed and robbed the man, an act police described as "mindless violence at its worst".

Peter Shaw (20), Andrew Harbourne (19), Joshua McErlean (19)  and an unnamed 17-year-old boy punched,  kicked and stamped on the man even after he fell unconscious and blood started to pool around his head. 

The video showed three of the group running off while Shaw and 18-year-old Gemma Stafford stayed behind, with the young woman rifling through the victim's pockets to steal money and cigarettes.

She even rolled the victim over to get access to his front pockets while Shaw continued to kick the victim in the head.

Shaw took one last running kick at the victim's head before they left him for dead, police said. 

Detective Sergeant Lee Johnson of Greater Manchester police said it was "sheer luck" that the victim suffered only minor injuries.

Advertisement
"The ferocity of the blows to his head could have caused serious and lasting damage. Their actions were sickening to watch and is mindless violence at its worst," he said. 

"The group were prepared to lie their way out of it, Stafford in particular who only decided to change her account when she was faced with CCTV footage.

Advertisement
"I am pleased to see these thugs have been brought to justice for their callous behaviour and the victim can start to put the incident behind him.

"This case also helps to show how valuable CCTV and the quality of the footage has been a major assistance in putting these yobs behind bars."

Shaw, Harbourne and McErlean were sentenced to four years each while the girl Gemma Stafford and the 17-year-old to 18 months each.

Source-Medindia
GPL/L


Advertisement