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Teenagers jailed for machete attack on war veteran
Two teenagers who subjected an 86-year-old war veteran and former councillor to an ordeal of terror at the point of a machete, have been sentenced to a total of more than 13 years in custody.
City Recorder Anthony Russell QC, the judge who sentenced James Lowry and Jack Hamilton at Preston Crown Court, said their crime "could only be described in one word - wicked".
Victim Ron Yates, who was tied up by the masked intruders after a pillow was put over his face at his home on Longridge Road in Ribbleton, suffered deep cuts to his fingers as he tried to grab the large machete-type weapon.
Tragically, he has since died, in April this year, about two months after the attack and although his death could not be directly related to the incident, the judge told the pair they had made the last few months of a "thoroughly decent man who had served his country and his community" a misery.
Lowry, 19, of Heathfield Drive and Hamilton, aged 17 from Grange Avenue, both in Ribbleton, each admitted aggravated burglary and wounding Mr Yates.
Lowry also pleaded guilty to a previous offence of robbery and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was sent into youth custody for a total of seven-and-a-half years.
Hamilton, whom the judge said could be named despite his age because of the seriousness of the offence, was sentenced to be detained for six years.
See The Evening Post on Saturday for more on this story
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: 3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
