Two individuals have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in a brutal assault on a teenager in Ellesmere Port. Thomas Byrne, 32, from HMP Berwyn, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender, while Joseph Farrell, 22, of HMP Altcourse, had already pleaded guilty to section 18 assault, possession of a weapon in a public place, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, and handling stolen goods.
The sentencing took place at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, November 8. Farrell was sentenced to six years in prison, with an additional three years on licence, while Byrne received a 16-month prison sentence.
The attack occurred on Thursday, July 14, 2022, when Farrell and two other individuals, all wearing balaclavas, arrived from the Wirral and carried out a “punishment attack” on an 18-year-old man in Worcester Walk, Ellesmere Port. They pursued the victim in their vehicle, colliding with him and causing him to fall off his bike. Despite his attempt to escape, the assailants caught up with him, forcefully bringing him to the ground and inflicting further violence. Afterward, they swiftly fled the scene, leaving the victim injured and bleeding against a fence. A passer-by alerted a nearby police officer, and the victim was subsequently rushed to the hospital in a serious condition, requiring emergency surgery due to severed tendons in his limbs.
Detective Inspector Eli Atkinson expressed the audacity of the attack, as it took place in broad daylight and resulted in severe injuries that may permanently affect the victim’s range of motion. The dedicated efforts of his team of detectives led them to conduct multiple raids on addresses in the Wirral, eventually uncovering evidence that implicated Farrell and Byrne. Inspector Atkinson commended his team for their unwavering commitment and perseverance, which ultimately led to the imprisonment of the two men involved in this abhorrent act of violence.
