Three men jailed for 24 years over violent assault and robbery in Stoke-on-Trent
Victims were kicked, stamped on and left unconscious in the road
Three men have been jailed for more than 20 years over a violent assault and robbery which left two men with serious injuries in Stoke-on-Trent.
James Hopper, 35, of Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent; John Martin, 32, of no fixed address; and Adam Wright, 37, of Boothen, Stoke-on-Trent, appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Friday 18th September.
They were each found guilty after trial of Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent.
Hopper was handed an 11-year extended sentence, Martin was given six years, and Wright was sentenced to a nine-year extended term.
The sentences follow an incident in which officers were called to Vale Street in Stoke in August last year, following reports of a disturbance.
Prior to the report, Martin was seen on CCTV using a pair of bolt cutters to attempt to steal one of the victim's bikes, which had been secured on Church Street with two locks.
However, as he was only successful in removing one of the locks, the victim and his friend returned to collect the bike and asked to see CCTV footage from a nearby premises, which led them to identify the suspect.
The pair then spotted and confronted Martin while on the phone to police.
Martin, Hopper and Wright then attacked both men, Staffordshire Police said.
The victims were kicked, stamped on and left unconscious in the road, as the suspects took their wallets and phones and made off.
As a result of the attack, one victim suffered a number of facial fractures, while the other suffered a bleed to the brain and a number of soft tissue injuries.
Officers arrived at the scene a short time later and were able to locate and arrest the offenders, who initially denied what they had done, before being found guilty by a jury in court.
Alongside their prison terms, Hopper, Martin and Wright were each ordered to pay a surcharge of £228 upon their release.
Martin was also found guilty of Section 18 attempted wounding with intent, and admitted theft by finding, for which he received no separate penalty.
Wright admitted handling stolen goods and was handed a concurrent term of one month.
Detective Constable Rose Smith, of the Criminal Investigation Department, who was the officer in the case, described it as "a vicious and relentless attack on two victims who suffered serious injuries as a result of the assault and robbery".
"I am pleased those responsible have been handed significant jail terms," DC Smith said.