A pair of thugs armed themselves with an axe and pepper spray after threatening to ‘cut the face’ off the mother of a man they were in dispute with.
Jake Allison and Brandon Jameson turned up at the house wearing balaclavas before trying to force their way in, then squirting noxious spray through a gap in the front door.
The pair, and another unknown man, targeted the house in Billingham after a row about money turned violent.
Teesside Crown Court heard how at one point Jameson, who was jailed as a teenager for the manslaughter of Shane Tunney, walked towards his targeted victim’s mother whilst armed with an axe before being chased from the scene.
Andrew Finlay, prosecuting, said the violence kicked off when Jameson sent a message to Brandon Murray threatening to attack his mother.
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Within hours the armed gang appeared at Mr Murray’s brother’s home where they attempted to batter down the door to attack him on February 13 this year.
The attack happened just days after someone deliberately smashed a car into the fence of Mr Murray’s home causing him to flee to his brother’s home for safety.
Mr Finlay added: “They tried to force their way into the property but were unable to do so. Allison then discharged the pepper spray through an opening in the door.”
He said Jameson told Mr Murray that ‘ramming the house was nowt’ he was going to ‘cut his mother’s face off’.
The court heard how Mr Murray, his brother and another came out of the house on Denbigh Road to confront the gang before his mother, who lived next door to her son, came into the street as well.
Mr Finlay said: “Someone shouted ‘go on cut her’ which resulted in Jameson, still carrying an axe, beginning to walk towards her. The three other men walked towards Mrs Murray which caused Jameson to back and the group left.”
He told the judge that people in the house had to be treated for ‘burning eyes’ caused by the pepper spray.
The court heard how Allison also threw a brick through the window of another victim’s home the day before, again in a row about money.
Mr Finlay said Jameson had served 45 months for manslaughter in 2016. He was one of seven teenagers locked up for the killing of Shane Tunney, 24, in Norton.
As a teenager, he was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter and assault causing actual bodily harm.
Jameson, 23, of Sadberge Road, Stockton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder, possession of and offensive weapon and sending malicious communication.
While 26-year-old Allison, of Saltersgill Avenue, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and damage of property.
Shaun Dryden, in mitigation for Allison, said his client would now have got involved in the disturbance if he hadn’t been drinking in the lead up to the incident.
And Tom Bennett, on behalf of Jameson, said his client clearly still had ‘some growing up to do’ and failed to remove himself from the situation.
He added: “At some point he has to start taking responsibility for his behaviour.”
Recorder Paul Reid locked the pair up for 34 months each for the violent disorder offence and told them they would serve concurrent sentences for the other charges.
He added: “You were driven off by the Murrays and another man and all three of you retreated. Fortunately, no significant injuries were caused to anyone.
“The only injury being the burning sensation suffered by the occupants of the house.”
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