21-year-old dragged from his attic and beaten

Yesterday four men were jailed for their part in the sustained attack on Andrew Wright at his house in Dence Green, Tyersal , Bradford, on Saturday, May 5.

Mohammed Rafiq, 29, of Allerton Road, Allerton, Bradford; Terrence Burns, 28, of Eversley Drive, Holme Wood , Bradford; his brother Timothy Burns, 24, of the same address, and Dean Gallagher, 24, of Otley Road, Bradford, all pleaded guilty to causing him actual bodily harm.

Judge Peter Benson told them it was a sustained attack on a man in his home that left him with unpleasant injuries.

Rafiq was jailed for two and a half years, Terrence Burns for two years nine months and Timothy Burns and Gallagher for 21 months.

Prosecutor Allan Armbrister said the four men went to Mr Wright’s home because they had been told he was looking after money belonging to their family, given to him by a teenage boy.

Mr Wright was dragged by the legs from the attic where he was hiding and subjected to a sustained beating.

Demands were made for £4,000 said to be missing from the cash stash.

Mr Wright suffered multiple injuries, including bruising to his jaw and ribs, whiplash marks to his back and deep scratches.

He recognised the four defendants as being among the group of assailants.

Mr Armbrister said Mr Wright and his family had now been rehoused in a new area by the police.

Mark Foley, Rafiq’s solicitor advocate, said he punched Mr Wright twice. He had concerns about illegal drugs being taken at the house and a cannabis farm was found there.

In mitigation for Terrence Burns, it was said the money at the centre of the incident had been taken from his family.

Michael Smith, barrister for Timothy Burns, said he had no previous convictions. It was money belonging to him and Gallagher that had been taken and handed to Mr Wright, the court heard.

Martin Sharpe, for Gallagher, said he was only in the house for 20 minutes and did not use any violence.