‘THEY ARE VERY REMORSEFUL AT HOW THEY BEHAVED’
Three men forced way into family home late at night
THREE men who burst into a woman’s home after midnight looking for her son have been spared jail.
Ian Cotton, aged 40, Wayne Keeling, aged 47, and Ross Corbishley, aged 38, were enjoying a night out when Cotton received a call to say his son had been attacked.
They made their way to the scene and chased two younger men to a house in Trent Valley Road, where the victim lived, and forced their way through the front door.
Cotton then damaged a car as they left.
Now all three have been sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.
Prosecutor Alicia Perry said a woman was watching television at 12.15am on August 22 when she heard a commotion outside.
She said: “After a few minutes she heard loud banging on the front door and someone screaming to be let in. She presumed it was her son. His friend was there.
“She let him in and shut and locked the door. He seemed to fall through the door and she began dialling 999.
“She made her way back to the front door and was met by a man kicking at the child safety gate in the kitchen.
“The man said, ‘Tell your son he has messed with the wrong family’.
“She said they had better leave as the police were on the way. The men left. She was absolutely terrified and was screaming on the phone to the police.
“Upon leaving, Cotton kicked a bonnet and wing mirror of a Ford Fiesta.”
Police later arrested Cotton, while the other two men handed themselves in.
Keeling, of Harpfield Road, Trent Vale, pleaded guilty to affray and using violence to secure entry to premises.
Cotton, of Boma Road, Trentham, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an affray and criminal damage.
Corbishley, of Old Hall Drive, Bradwell, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an affray and using violence to secure entry to premises.
Angela Trafford, mitigating for all three, said Cotton received a call that his son had been attacked.
She said: “He was very concerned. They had gone to the address. Events had overtaken them. They were subsequently assaulted.
“There is no suggestion they were acting in self-defence when they went in the house. And none are suggesting there was any justification for the way they behaved.
“There is no suggestion they threatened the people inside.
“They were after the males who they believed had assaulted Cotton’s son and had subsequently assaulted them.
“They are genuinely remorseful at how they behaved on that evening.
“They are all distressed at the distress they must have caused the people at the property.
“They realise just what a grave situation they have got themselves into.”
Magistrates treated all three men as being of good character, as only Corbishley has a previous conviction, and that was for an offence in 2002.
They ordered Cotton to pay £1,771.84 compensation for the damage to the car, and the £1,427.50 damage caused to the property was split between Corbishley and Keeling.
All three defendants must pay £185 costs and a £128 surcharge.
And they were all made the subject of a restraining order which prevents them contacting their victim for 12 months.