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DAD BEATEN IN FRONT OF DAUGHTERS
A three-year-old girl screamed in terror as her father was attacked by teenage twins wielding a metal bar.
Identical twins Bilal and Zubair Cheema, both 15, beat Glyn Chapman "two or three times" with a foot-long weightlifting bar and then kicked him in the face.
The daylight attack was witnessed by Mr Chapman's wife, Tracy, and their two young daughters, aged three and six months.
Mr Chapman needed 22 stitches to a wound at the back of his head and suffered bruising to his face.
Bilal admitted wounding Mr Chapman with intent at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday and was sentenced to an 18-month detention and training order.
Zubair admitted unlawful wounding and was ordered to serve 100 hours community service and given a two-year supervision order.
Both boys, of King Street in Heckmondwike, are now 16.
Prosecutor Henry Prosser said the attack, on September 16, 2003, began when a group of five Asian boys in school uniform walked towards Mr Chapman and his wife and children at Westgate near the war memorial.
One of the boys bumped into Mr Chapman, who was holding his eldest daughter's hand, and they became separated.
After an exchange of words, during which Mr Chapman called one of the boys a "prat" another member of the group spat at Mrs Chapman, who had told the group to "stop causing trouble" and to go away.
A scuffle broke out and Mr Chapman punched Bilal in the face, breaking a tooth and cutting his lip.
Bilal responded by hitting him on the back of the head with the metal bar before Zubair kicked Mr Chapman in the face.
Mr Prosser said that none of the other boys were involved in the attack.
Nigel Daniel, in mitigation for Bilal, said he did not go looking for violence and that he happened to find the metal bar in the street during the attack.
He said the blows were not struck with any significant force.
Timothy Stead, in mitigation for Zubair, said he was only attempting to help his brother after he had become involved in a scuffle with an older, much bigger man.
He admitted that Zubair kicked Mr Chapman in the face but said that Mr Chapman was not on the floor at the time of the kick, and added that it was an isolated episode in the life of a growing man.
Judge Ian Dobkin said the twins had committed a "nasty piece of violence" and added: "Neither of you went looking for trouble, but trouble you found."
More...'Justice has been done'
GLYN Chapman this week relived the horrifying moment he was set upon by two teenagers in Heckmondwike.
Mr Chapman, a 33-year-old professional DJ, has suffered problems with memory loss and has not worked since the attack last year.
After the hearing Mr Chapman, who lives in Liversedge, said: "I only remember three things about the attack – my wife screaming, my daughter shouting 'please don't hurt my dad' and the sound of the bar hitting the back of my head. There was blood everywhere.
"I've suffered problems with memory loss since the attack and I haven't been able to work.
"The person who has been most traumatised is my three-year-old daughter who had to watch it happen.
"My wife has lived in the area all her life, but now we are planning to move because of what has happened to us.
"For now I'm happy it's all over and I'm glad justice has been done."
Mr Chapman praised the efforts of the police and the witnesses.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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