Men jailed over attack on family

Craig O'Brien

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Three men have been jailed in connection with an attack on a family in Rochdale.

Craig O'Brien, 22, of Denehurst Rd, Greave, Rochdale, has been jailed for five years at Bolton Crown Court today, Monday 25 October 2010

He pleaded guilty to section 18 assault (causing grievous bodily harm with intent).

Graham O'Brien, 28, of Denehurst Rd, Greave, Rochdale has been jailed for nine months and Christopher Walsh,  22, of Verdun Crescent was jailed for 15 months.

They pleaded guilty to affray.

The men admitted the offences at an earlier hearing.

At about 9pm on Sunday 19 October 2008, police received several reports of a fight outside a house on Greave Avenue.

Officers attended and found a 40-year-old man had suffered a total of seven stab wounds.

The man and his 18-year-old son had been attacked as they returned home with the family's 10-year-old daughter.

Lights on the family's car were smashed with a piece of wood and a brick was thrown at the father during the melee.

His 39-year-old wife was also attacked and hit with the wood when she went to the front door after hearing the commotion.

Craig O'Brien was seen using a knife during the attack. Walsh and Graham O'Brien were also involved in the fight that broke out.

Walsh was seen in the street a short time after the fight admitting that it had all started because of him.

The 40-year-old man suffered stab wounds to his ear, shoulders and chest that all needed stitching. He also suffered wounds to his head, arm and body that had to be glued.

Detective Constable John Schofield, based at Rochdale CID, said: "This was a vile attack on a family who were just returning home for tea.

"The whole family were subjected to a ferocious attack by a group of men that not only left the dad with lasting scars from being stabbed but have left his family with deep-rooted emotional scars that may never fully heal.

"I hope that the result received today will help to some extent in allowing the family to move on and also send a clear message to the people who live on the Greave estate that such violent behaviour will not be tolerated."