Vigilantes are jailed for attack on wannabe PC
JON MACPHERSON
TWO vigilantes who viciously assaulted a wannabe police officer after wrongly mistaking him for a ‘troublemaker’ have been jailed.
Victim Ali Akhtar, 21, suffered a broken leg, broken nose and ‘significant knee injuries’ after being set upon by Mohammed Akhtar and Daniel Gillett on Richmond Road in Accrington.
Burnley Crown Court heard how the two offenders were travelling along a road in a car looking for youths who had been causing trouble at a car sales business on Victoria Street.
Peter Barr, prosecuting, told the court how the victim was speaking to peo- ple in a car when both defendants got out of their vehicle and got into an ‘angry confrontation’ with Mr Akhtar.
The court heard how the victim ran off and fell off a wall onto the pave- ment below, breaking his leg.
The two offenders then continued to attack him causing him to suffer a broken nose.
He was taken to hospital for treatment on his injuries including ‘substantial ligament damage’ and bruising and swelling to his face and lip.
Mr Barr said his left leg ‘won’t return to 100 per cent use’ and before the incident Mr Akhtar was a ‘young man planning a career in the police’.
He told the court how he was a ‘very fit and active young man’ and ‘prior to sustaining the injuries ran frequently’.
Akhtar, 34, of Longridge Road, Ribbleton, and Gillett, 28, of Lockhart Road, Preston, both pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and were jailed for 16 months.
Anthony Longworth, defending Gillett, said: “This was a case of mistaken identity. This was not a pre-planned attack and there were no masks or weapons used.”
Emma Gilsenan, defending Akhtar, said it was ‘out of character’.
She said: “There were a number of issues on the business park and he believed the complainant was involved.
There were a number of police reports dating back to July 2011 setting out complaints of thefts and damage to vehicles and causing distress to business owners and residents around Victoria Street in Accrington.
“This was a one-off incident albeit very regrettable and something he is very ashamed of. He is appalled by his actions.”
Recorder Simon Medland QC said he would be ‘failing in his public duty’ if didn’t send them to jail.
He said the victim was ‘wholly blameless of a pointlessly violent assault’.