Brutal revenge attack carried out by three Thornaby men

Keaton Gibson was given a ‘good hiding’ by the man before seeking retribution with Connor Smith and Josh White in tow.

When the three of them turned up at the victim’s house on Roseberry View, Thornaby, another confrontation erupted but this time the man was stabbed six times when he was knocked to the ground.

Damian Broadbent, prosecuting, said White was responsible for inflicting the stabs wounds to the man’s chest, backside and abdomen.

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The judge told the defendants that they were lucky to not be facing more serious charges as the stabbings caused potentially ‘life-threatening injuries’.

Mr Broadbent said the victim get the better of Gibson in the fight, leaving him ‘humiliated and upset’ and the 21-year-old messaged friends telling them that the victim was ‘getting it’ and they were going to ‘chop him’.

Keaton Gibson (Image: Cleveland Police)

He said the victim came out of his home armed with a crowbar in attempt to disperse them but was eventually overwhelmed and stabbed six times by Josh White whilst on the ground.

White, of Mead Crescent, Thornaby, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article.

Philip Tully, representing the 22-year-old, said it was out of character for his client to be violent and expressed genuine remorse for the injuries he inflicted.

Josh White (Image: Cleveland Police)

Gibson, of Langley Avenue, Thornaby, was cleared of wounding with intent but also pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and possession of a hatchet.

Robert Mochrie, representing Gibson, said the defendant never intended to use the hatchet.

He added: “This young lad, who is full of hot air, has nothing to back it up.”

While Smith, of no fixed abode, was found not guilty of wounding with intent but pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and possession of a pointed article – a screwdriver.

Michele Turner, on behalf of the 23-year-old, said Smith was very remorseful straight after the stabbing when he realised the severity of the attack.

Connor Smith (Image: Cleveland Police)

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Judge Timothy Stead told them that the stabbing would never have happened if Gibson had not rallied his friends to take part in the revenge attack and all three of them were armed.

He told White: “You attended pre-armed, this is not a case of you picking a knife in the course of a difficult situation and using it with intent, it is not a case of securing a knife from someone else and using it – this is something you took with you.”

Addressing Gibson, the judge added: “It was you who recruited the others to seek revenge on your behalf.”

Turning to Smith, he told him he had played the smallest role in the attack but did have relevant previous convictions.

White was jailed for eight years and six months for stabbing the victim while Gibson and Smith were locked up for three years for their role in the violence.