Jail for masked machete pair who attacked tot,3 Intruders left one victim with permanent injuries to his hands
THUGS SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS EACH
TWO masked intruders who carried out a horrific machete attack on a couple and a three-year-old child were each jailed for 12 years yesterday.
Brian Brooks and Josh McIntyre put on forensic suits before forcing their way into a house and carrying out brutal assaults on the occupants.
Brooks, McIntyre, both 26, and an accomplice tried to murder Christopher Mellon, 27, with a hail of blows from weapons. They also inflicted injuries on Donna Galloway, 34, and a three-year-old boy in the sinister attack.
Christopher had to have three fingers of his left hand amputated and his brain was exposed by a cut through his skull. He underwent surgery lasting 17 hours following the attempted murder on him.
A judge told Brooks and McIntyre the injuries they inflicted had resulted “in significant loss of function” to Christopher’s hands.
Lord Brodie said: “The evidence showed what appeared to be a carefully planned, premeditated attack by three attackers armed with machetes and knives at a private home. I have no alternative but to impose significant custodial sentences.”
At their earlier trial, the attack was described by prosecutors in speeches to the jury as “horrific, unconscionable and something for which there was no room in a modern society”.
Lord Brodie said at the High Court in Edinburgh: “It involved forced entry to a private home and an attack with weapons on those present, one of whom was a three-year-old child.”
Brooks, of Thornliebank, and McIntyre, of Pollok, both Glasgow, had earlier denied assaulting the victims at an address in Paisley on September 24 last year.
But they were convicted of attempting to murder Christopher by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with machetes to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and to the danger of his life. They were also found guilty of assaulting Donna , 34, to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement by repeatedly striking her with machetes on the head and body and knocking her to the ground and stamping on her.
They were further convicted of assaulting the little boy by striking him repeatedly on the head with the weapons.
One of the attackers was remembered by his “laughing, evil eyes” after they burst into the property. Donna recalled that they were wearing white forensic-style suits and she begged them to stop.
Defence solicitor John McElroy, for Brooks – who has previous convictions for assault and robbery and weapon possession – said he still maintained his innocence but accepted the verdict of the jury.
James Keegan QC, said his client, McIntyre, had been suffering from mental health issues “for some time”.
He added: “It appears he has recognised at least some of the issues related to cannabis misuse and he stopped using cannabis.”