Father and sons are jailed for Stourbridge attack

David Cooper and his sons Damon and Martin went armed to the store run by Zahid Mahmood and his son Ambrez and used the weapons on them, a jury ruled.

But Stafford Crown Court heard the motive for the violence, which took place on October 22 last year, remained a mystery.

David Cooper, 52, Damon Cooper, 26, and 30-year-old Martin Cooper, all of Woodland Close, Quarry Bank, were each convicted by a jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court last month of wounding Zahid Mahmood with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The two sons were also found guilty of wounding Ambrez Mahmood with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and were both sentenced to four-and-a-half years imprisonment.

David Cooper, who was convicted of unlawfully wounding Ambrez Mahmood, was jailed for four years.

Police confirmed the attack had taken place outside Stourbridge Suite Factory, in Bridgnorth Road, Wollaston. Sentencing the three men, Judge John Wait said: "I am sure I have not been told the real reasons for this, although I accept it is a real possibility one or more prosecution witnesses knows more of the reasons for your visit that day than emerged during the evidence.

"Both members of the Mahmood family suffered wounds inflicted by knives."

Judge Wait said it was likely David Cooper had played a "support role" in the attack on Ambrez Mahmood and had been armed with a knuckleduster rather than a knife.

"The jury in this case were satisfied the account the three of you put forward as to the reason for attending the suite factory that day was untrue.

"The jury must have been sure the weapons produced, other than the crook lock, were being carried by you.

"They were sure the two younger defendants did indeed have an intention to cause really serious injury to Ambrez.

"I infer from that the identification by Ambrez of at least one of you being the occupant of a car that came round on Saturday was true.

It was something that happened then that caused him fear and caused him to collect the crook lock and follow his father."

Judge Wait said he had watched the CCTV footage of the violence taking place many times, yet still could not understand the background for it.

"None of you accept responsibility for the attack – each of you say you were responding to an attack."

Mr Lee Masters, for David Cooper, told Stafford Crown Court his client had no relevant previous convictions.

Miss Nicole Steers, for Damon Cooper, said he had a clean record.

Mr Stephen Hamblett, for Martin Cooper, said of the motive for the violence: "It is going to remain a mystery to all of us.

"This was an isolated incident, totally out of character."