Jailed: Pair who brutally beat and stabbed victim in cannabis raid

Tyrone Ford and Aaron Brown-Williams fractured Dale Chilton's skull, stabbed him with a knife and hit him with a rake before fleeing with £2,200 of property and his Audi.

Ford, of Dudley Road, West Bromwich, was later arrested after police spotted him pushing the broken-down Audi in a street and offered to help - with a subsequent check on the vehicle revealing it was stolen.

The raiders had initially tried to trick their way into Mr Chilton's flat in Main Street, Stonall, by claiming to be police officers. When that failed, they smashed a window and clambered in.

Miss Sally Hancox, prosecuting at Stafford Crown Court, said they demanded cash and cannabis but Mr Chilton tried to fend them off with a knife. However, 24-year-old Ford then got hold of the weapon and used it on the victim.

Ford was jailed for a total of 12-and-a-half years after admitting wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, robbery, theft, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and possessing a prohibited article in prison.

Brown-Williams, aged 32, from Grantham, admitted robbery and theft and was jailed for nine years.

Tyrone's brother Liam Ford, aged 27, address unknown, was also jailed for three years for burglary with intent to steal cannabis and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Miss Hancox said Liam had gone to Mr Chilton's flat but stayed outside and took no part in the violence. He was later arrested in Halesowen on January 12.

At the time of the burglary, he was out on licence for previous robbery and firearms offences. He has been recalled to serve the rest of his sentence, due to expire in 2020.

Judge Jonathan Gosling said: "This was a brutal and sustained attack by the two of you on one man."

Tyrone was arrested when he was spotted by police pushing the stolen Audi on a street in Handsworth.

Officers initially offered help but a computer check quickly revealed it was a wanted vehicle and he was arrested. Mr Chilton's blood was then found on his clothes and trainers.

Brown-Williams was arrested outside his gym in Grantham on 23 March, three months after the Stonnall raid which took place on December 21 last year.

Mr Ben Williams, defending the brothers, said: "Cannabis was the target of the planned burglary. They didn't turn up armed with weapons - it was the complainant who introduced the knife in to the situation.

"Liam made the foolish decision to get involved in this ill-fated exercise."

Mr Ben Walker-Nolan, for Brown Williams, said: "he didn't arm himself at any stage. He didn't intend to cause really serious harm to Mr Chilton. The two serious injuries were not attacks my client participated in."

Tyrone Ford was also sentenced for a separate offence of affray - throwing a wheel brace at a man during a fracas in Cornwall Avenue, Warley on November 29.

He was on bail for that when he attacked Mr Chilton and got six months to run consecutively to the 12 years for the wounding.