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10:09pm Thursday 24th January 2008
FOUR teenagers who set upon an innocent window cleaner "like a pack of animals" have today been jailed for a total of 11 years.
Judge Norman Wright blasted the gang as he sent them to prison after being told they attacked Ian Dewhurst simply because he had the "misfortune to walk past them".
Mr Dewhurst's teeth were kicked out and he had several ribs broken.
After the yobs were sentenced, Mr Dewhurst said the punishment was "justice in some ways" but that he had been left in fear.
And a councillor who represents the area where the attack happened in Blackburn branded them "utter hooligans" who should be "ashamed of themselves".
Preston Crown Court was told that Mr Dewhurst, 47, was attacked as he walked past the group, who were sat on a wall.
He had just bought some lager from an off licence in Granville Road, Blackburn.
The self-employed window cleaner, who lives off Preston New Road, had his teeth kicked out and several ribs broken during the incident on November 30, 2006.
Mr Dewhurst, who is also a full time carer for his disabled partner, was unable to work for several months and had to pay out over £700 to have his teeth replaced.
The four teenagers robbed him of just £10 which they spent in a takeaway after the attack.
The youths were caught by police following CCTV evidence. One of the youths was 14 at the time.
Two 16-year-old boys, who can't be named for legal reasons, a 17-year-old boy, who also cannot be named, and Yasin Ali Khan, 18, of Preston New Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to robbery.
Ali Khan and the 17-year-old were sentenced to three years and two months.
One of the 16-year-olds was sentenced to two years and 11 months, while the other got two years and eight months.
All four were sent to youth detention after Judge Wright said that a community order or a detention and training order was not a suitable punishment for them.
The judge said: "On that evening Mr Dewhurst was going about his business.
"He bought some lager and outside the shop he had the misfortune of going past you and the other youths.
"He was attacked, punched to the ground and there were threats to kill him.
"All he had was £10. That was the fruits of your escapade.
"All of you were like a pack of animals, kicking a man on the ground.
"He suffered serious injuries but apart from the physical injuries there is also the psychological aspect.
"It is not surprising he is frightened to go out at night when he was attacked in this way.
"All of you should be thoroughly ashamed of your behaviour that night."
Mr Dewhurst said: "The sentence the judge passed is justice in some ways.
"They have been shown this behaviour cannot carry on.
"This was the second time I was attacked in two weeks - who is to say there isn't someone who will act in the same way as them?
"They have affected me in a psychological way but I am pleased with the sentence."
Corporation Park ward councillor Abdul Rehman said: "This was an atrocious attack on an upstanding member of the community.
"What happened to this man was totally uncalled for and was nothing but utter hooliganism.
"The people responsible ought to be ashamed of themselves.
"I hope the sentences will give them time to reflect on their behaviour."
sid, new bank area says...
11:22pm Thu 24 Jan 08
Tubby Scruff, says...
12:00am Fri 25 Jan 08
alan, blackburn says...
12:52am Fri 25 Jan 08
RHME, Burnley says...
2:42am Fri 25 Jan 08
ahmed ashed (joiner), I make sheds says...
6:19am Fri 25 Jan 08
Dave, Hyndburn says...
7:45am Fri 25 Jan 08
Andrew J Farrow, Clitheroe says...
8:22am Fri 25 Jan 08
steve, accrington says...
11:11am Fri 25 Jan 08
Mrs Patel, Blackburn says...
11:35am Fri 25 Jan 08
Ian the Beancounter, Darwen says...
12:18pm Fri 25 Jan 08
NZ, Blackburn says...
12:43pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Ian the Beancounter, Darwen says...
1:05pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Shahid, Blackburn says...
1:33pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Ian the Beancounter, Darwen says...
1:38pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Ian the Beancounter wrote:Thank you LT. By restoring my post you've also restored my faith in (partially) free speech!
OK, LT.I know that some of the comments were too racist, but mine was calling for more tolerance - so why has it been removed??
bystander, lancs says...
3:15pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Gene Hunt, Mars says...
3:23pm Fri 25 Jan 08
steve wrote:Steve, the parents are to blame for not instilling a sense of right and wrong into them at an early age. That coupled with the fact that this great nation of ours has too many do gooders protecting the rights of this wayward minority of thugs. The writing was on the wall when caning in schools was abolished in the early eighties and the loony left do gooders started interfering with parental responsibilities of chastisement. IMHO.
I`m glad they`ve all been sentenced,allbeit quite leniently,but I don`t think it`s fair to blame the parents.How many of you with children can say that you always know where they are when outside the home?This behaviour is getting more and more common amongst ALL young men, whatever their colour or creed.Until the courts start handing down realy stiff sentences, it will continue.
shiraz hussain, NEW BANK says...
4:01pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Darren lass, DARWEN says...
4:20pm Fri 25 Jan 08
mike rigby, blackburn says...
4:21pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Baz, Accy says...
4:33pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Snoop Doggy Dog, Blackburn New Bank says...
7:05pm Fri 25 Jan 08
abid, blackburn says...
9:37pm Fri 25 Jan 08
John Dawes, Barrowford says...
10:54pm Fri 25 Jan 08
JAM, blackburn says...
11:58am Sat 26 Jan 08
stooball66, Blackburn says...
2:46pm Sat 26 Jan 08
ANONIMUS, Blackburn says...
4:30pm Sat 26 Jan 08
YASEEN, Blackburn says...
4:52pm Sat 26 Jan 08
how could a 14 year old nok a 42 year old owt cm on ppl use ur brains
Blackburn Lass, Blackburn says...
12:14am Sun 27 Jan 08
Blackburn Lass, Blackburn says...
12:17am Sun 27 Jan 08
Blackburn Lass wrote:Oops.... sorry about the typing mistakes and it won't let me edit my post either - think it's time for bed!
This is disgusting and the fact that kids of today would even think abotu behaving in such a way is disturbing. I'm in my 20's and the fact that me and my younger brother knew that my dad would have given us a quick backhander was enough to make us behave so it never got to that stage but now you have all these do gooders saying you can't discipline your children... kinds think they can get away with what they want. Understandably thhere is a very fine line between discipline and child abuse but a lot of parent are terrified to tell a child off for doing something wrong and eventually, as they grow up, a percentage of them are spiraling out of control and look at what's happening to society!!
Confused, Blackburn says...
12:36am Sun 27 Jan 08
junior, blackburn says...
11:20am Mon 28 Jan 08
new bank, blackburn says...
1:00pm Mon 28 Jan 08
AFZAL, BURNLEY says...
2:47pm Mon 28 Jan 08
NEW BANK 4 EVA, BLACKBURN,NEW BANK says...
6:30pm Mon 28 Jan 08
Halfcaste, Blackburn says...
7:52pm Mon 28 Jan 08
englishwhite, bburn says...
9:46pm Tue 29 Jan 08
Halfcaste wrote:hear hear no wonder racism exsists its fueled by immaturity towards the topic, in all cultures..( and bad spelling!!!)
New Bank 4 Eva.... First of all, I'm not racist, I'm half pakistani, but your comment is absolute balls to be honest!! Read the article... They took £10 and went to a takeaway - when did they realise it was a mistake? When they were bouncing on his head and chest? When they were shovelling food in their mouths? Or when they had been caught?? As for you would rather knock someone out than be racist - that's an absolutely ridiculous statement to make. No matter where these people come from or what religious beliefs or views they may have (or supposed to have) - they were wrong to do what they did. There's good and bad in all walks of life. People like you with comments, suggestions and opinions like that are just morons. Right and wrong is not defined by who someone is or where they come from and that's what people need to realise before they start having a go about these boys being asian or on the other hand, before people like you start accusing people of being racist for having the brains to know that this act of barbarianism is unnacceptable - regardless of who has done it. (Sorry if you can't understand my correctly spelt post)
Chris, says...
11:15am Wed 30 Jan 08
farmer tayab, new bank road says...
8:09pm Thu 7 Feb 08
Abby, Blackburn says...
2:51pm Sun 20 Apr 08
Bono Jones, Juneau, Alaska says...
2:46pm Mon 12 May 08
Rosie O'Jonell, Walla Walla, Washington says...
2:21pm Tue 13 May 08
Ashamed Asain, Blackburn says...
11:57pm Wed 14 May 08
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ashraf, blackburn says...
10:38pm Thu 24 Jan 08