Heywood man one of three jailed following degrading attack

Stuart Lynch

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A man from Heywood is one of three men who have been jailed following an entirely unprovoked, sustained and degrading attack on another man.

Stuart Lynch, 28, of Moss Hall Road, Heywood, pleaded guilty to section 47 assault, Ian Ogden, 22, of Hesford Avenue, Moston, and Mark Redfearn, 33, of Charlestown Road, Blackley, pleaded guilty to section 47 assault and threats to kill at an earlier hearing.

Lynch has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years, Ogden to five years and Redfearn to four-and-a-half years.

On Friday 29 April 2011, the victim, 28, was looking after his brother who was distressed at the time, at a house in north Manchester.

At about 2.00am, the three men knocked at the door and Lynch indicated he knew the victim’s brother, so they were let in by the victim.

Lynch, Redfearn and Ogden then started taking cocaine and from there their behaviour turned increasingly erratic, with Lynch smashing a mirror over his own head and Redfearn turning violent.

After verbally abusing the victim, Redfearn started punching him in the head and laughing. Ogden then got involved and punched the man up to seven times, with full force in the head, and both he and Redfearn threatened to kill him.

Lynch attacked him with kung-fu kicks. By this point, the man was covered in blood and feared he was going to die. However, in fear of further attacks he did not speak up.

Ogden continued his assault, extinguishing a cigarette butt on his head and urinating on his leg and then striking the man numerous times with his belt.

Ogden then exposed himself and sexual threats were made. The trio then left.

The victim and his brother, who was present throughout, then ran upstairs, armed themselves with sticks and hid under a bed, terrified they would come back.

Next morning, a taxi pulled up alongside the victim when was he was outside his house. The occupants threatened to kill him, his family and burn his mum's house down if he went to the police about what happened.

The man sustained cuts and bruises to his forehead including a cut to his right eyebrow and ear that needed stitches, a fractured nose, a hairline fracture to his jaw, a suspected fractured cheekbone, a 12-inch graze across his back and burns to his forehead from the cigarettes. He was extremely lucky not to have been more seriously injured following this brutal and prolonged attack

Detective Constable Thomas Howard said: "The facts in this case speak for themselves. These three men and in particular Ian Ogden, subjected the victim to a bizarre, vile, degrading and sustained attack that involved violent physicality and also the threat of sexual violence.

"Quite why these men resorted to such shameful violence only they can answer.

"However, thanks to the bravery of the victim and his family were who prepared to stand up to such abuse, and stand with the police and say: 'we won't allow this to go unpunished' we have been able to secure their convictions and put them behind bars. No-one is untouchable.

"No-one should be made to feel like they have to hide under their beds to escape violence and I would like to pay tribute to this family for having the courage to speak out, which is in total contrast to the cowardice of the offenders.

"I hope it sends out a powerful message of what can be done when the community and the police stand shoulder-to-shoulder."