'We feared for our lives during a horrifying machete attack outside our Stourbridge home by a father and his two children'

The couple, who we can refer to as Neil and Cassy, both ended up in intensive care then homeless after being knifed and beaten for no reason in September 2023.

Returning from work the pair arrived at Spiral Court in Stourbridge to a melee outside their home which involved neighbour Kelly Oakley arguing with her partner. Neil stepped into protect Kelly being attacked with a golf club. 

In the meantime, Kelly, 31, had called her father Mark, 59, and brother Kurt, 36, for help. When the men arrived, with machetes, they unleased a vicious attack on Neil and Cassy despite doing nothing wrong. Neil was slashed across the face, had his arm slit open and beaten by Kurt, and ended up spending four days in intensive care. He managed to run away fearing for his life being chased by Kurt and Mark.

Kelly then attacked Cassy and when cocaine-fuelled crazed Kurt returned it attacked Cassy with a machete, almost slicing her fingers off, and stabbing her, then when slumped on the floor bleeding profusely, Kelly continued the attack and then left her for dead. Hairdresser Cassy lost so much blood she needed two blood transfusions and will never be able to use her hand to cut hair again.

In a victim impact statement Kelly said: "I thought I was going to die. I still cannot understand how I could be left there whilst bleeding out. 

"Words cannot express the chaos brought into our lives on September 6, 2023. During the incident I felt our lives were at risk, we could have been easily killed that day. It is sad it only happened because of Kelly's paranoia. They wanted blood and did not care who they hurt.

"Being assaulted by Kelly and attacked with a machete by Kurt with something which will stay with me for the rest of my life. I was left effectively bleeding out. That they just left me like that is something I cannot comprehend. I was seriously injured and extremely vulnerable. They took no notice of it. I had to have two blood transfusions due to how much blood I lost.

"I'm still recovering physically and mentally, I continue to be on anti-depressants and strong painkillers, I will require further operations in the future. I only have the use of one hand, I cannot drive, and I cannot work as a key worker with children in care or do hairdressing."

She added: "What you three did has left me with life changing injuries, from a man I never met just because of his sister. Every minute of every day I am reminded how my life was turned upside down because of that day."

Neil said: "It was shocking and happened in broad daylight and in front of people. I had to spend four days in intensive care, I could not return to my home. I had to rehome the dog for six months. We had to move out the area. We were unable to work and left homeless.

"They wanted to seriously injure someone, they could have murdered us. Kelly was instructing them who to stab. They ruined our lives for no reason."

The Oakleys were arrested shortly afterwards with Kurt being remanded in custody and Kelly and Mark both being held in custody for several weeks before being released on bail. Kurt Oakley, of Russells Hall Road, Dudley, pleaded guilty to two counts of wounding, affray with intent and possessing an offensive weapon.

Recorder David Lock KC sentenced all three on Friday. Kurt, of Russells Hall Road, was sentenced to eight years, Kelly Oakley, of Sprial Court, Stourbridge, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and affray and was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. 

Mark Oakley, of Russells Hall Road, Dudley, pleaded guilty to affray and possessing an offensive weapon, after his son had given him a knife on arrival. He was given two years for affray and 18 months for possessing an offensive weapon, suspended for two years. 

He will have to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work.

He told Kelly: "You carried on attacking your victim after she had been attacked with a machete. Even when she was losing a massive amount of blood due to the injuries caused by your brother.

"You will have to be sent to prison for your crimes, as will your brother. The impact both physically and mentally on your victim was massive. They have been left jobless and homeless and you ruined their lives for no reason."