Last updated at 16:01, Sunday, 09 December 2012

TWO brothers who carried out a horrific attack on a man in his Barrow flat and filmed their extreme violence on the victim's mobile phone have today been jailed indefinitely.

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James and Mark Wilson tortured their victim, a 26-year-old stranger, who was forced to beg that he didn't want to die and even told to
say "cheese" for the camera.

Preston Crown Court heard today that Richard Halls was left partially blind after a pruning knife was run across his eye sockets.

He was also slashed across various parts of his body and was jumped on.

There were even threats to hang him and cut his throat and also to set him on fire.

The pair left him locked in his School Street address where he had bled profusely.

Mr Halls believes he would have died had he not managed to crawl outside for help.

James Wilson, 26, of Church Street, Barrow and Mark Wilson, 24, of Newport Street, Barrow had both pleaded guilty to charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and also robbery.

They will each have to serve a minimum of just of just over six years before they can be considered for possible parole, but will only be
released when no longer thought to present a danger.

The court also heard that within half an hour of the events last June they were boasting of what they had done and the film footage was shown to a young people they came across in the street.

That footage covered around 20 minutes and was viewed by the judge before he dealt with the case.

Mark Wilson was said to have described himself as a monster for what happened. His barrister said he had suffered serious abuse as a young boy which affected his mental health. Thoughts about his past had triggered what happened that night in June.

James Wilson was said to have had a similar background.

Judge Stuart Baker told them they had attacked their victim with savagery, sadistic, cowardly and cruel gratuitous violence.

They had both derived malevolent satisfaction from what they were doing at the time.

He added "It is hard to imagine a non fatal attack of greater severity than this".

Detective Chief Inspector Bob Qazi, who led the investigation, said: “The assault which took place was vicious, unprovoked. In my almost 28 years police experience some of the worst wounds I have seen on a victim who has remained alive.

"The injuries sustained could have resulted in the victim's death and the threats which were made that night led the victim to believe he was going to die. There is no doubt in my mind the victim was tortured in an extreme way.

“This was a premeditated attack, Wilson and Wilson left the address, armed with weapons with the intention of carrying out a vicious assault . The sentence imposed today reflects the seriousness of these offences and I am pleased that justice has been served.”

First published at 14:28, Friday, 07 December 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk