Last updated at 16:19, Thursday, 20 September 2012

TWO teenagers have been locked up by a judge who said they had behaved as “violent thugs” in a sickening attack on a teenager.

ATTACK: Jack Trelore, left and Callum Coyle, right, celebrating their GCSE results in August 2010.

The victim was hit in the face by one of them holding a set of keys.

Bradley Cummins sustained a laceration that went through muscle and left him without sensation in his bottom lip.

Jack Trelore and Callum Coyle were both given 18 months of detention and training by a judge at Preston Crown Court.

Judge Heather Lloyd told them: “This was planned violence with a weapon, on an unsuspecting victim, with such devastating consequences for him.

“It means custody is the only appropriate sentence.

“All young men, even those of good character and from good families, must understand that actions have consequences”.

Trelore and Coyle, both aged 18, launched the attack on Mr Cummins in a park in Dalton last summer.

Trelore, of King Street, Dalton and Coyle, of Stafford Street, Dalton had both pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding.

They were both aged 17 when they committed the offence.

Mr Cummins, who was then 18, had given a lift home to Trelore’s girlfriend at the time.

She later told Trelore that Mr Cummins had made advances to her during the journey, but Mr Cummins disputed this.

The prosecution had said at an earlier hearing that the allegation seemed to become a motive for the assault which followed.

On July 21 last year, Mr Cummins drove on to a play park in Dalton, where he met Trelore and Coyle.

At one point Coyle gave Trelore a bunch of keys and said: “Here, use these”.

Mr Jon Close, prosecuting, told the court that Mr Cummins was sitting in the driver’s seat when Trelore opened the door and punched him in the mouth, without warning, while holding the keys.

The wound required 30 stitches to be inserted.

Miss Raquel Simpson, defending Trelore, had said his actions had not been pre-meditated.

The use of the keys had been incidental and he apologised for what happened, she said.

“He is 18 years old and is assessed to be an immature young man.

“It is now 14 months since the offence and there have been no further difficulties since.

“The proceedings have had a significant deterrent effect upon him”.

Mr Richard Archer, for Coyle, had told the court that his client had acted massively out of character and “misguided loyalty”.

In handing down the sentences, Judge Lloyd said she had considered references which described the defendants as polite, respectful, warm and friendly.

She told the pair: “Left to your own devices on that date, you were anything but warm, friendly, polite and respectful.

“You behaved as violent thugs and that behaviour left your victim seriously injured.

“He will bear the scars for a very long time, if not permanently.

“A clear message has to go out that if you engage in violence, particularly planned violence, with a weapon where the victim doesn’t stand a chance, then a custodial sentence will follow”.

First published at 14:09, Thursday, 20 September 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk