Twin brothers jailed for attack on neighbour in Mitton Drive, Moor Nook which saw his ear bitten off

A violent Preston thug who bit off the ear of his twin brother’s next-door neighbour has been jailed for more than five years.

Desmond Hollinshead ripped off a chunk of Joseph Gladdon’s right ear and spat it on the floor as he sat astride him during a prolonged assault, the city’s Crown Court was told.

Twin Darren Hollinshead, who also took part in the attack in the lounge of a house in Mitton Drive, Moor Nook, was also sent to prison, as was a third man, Matthew Chambers, who swung the first punch which broke the victim’s jaw.

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Jailing the trio for a total of eight years and four months for beating up Mr Gladdon, Recorder John Jones KC said it was impossible to say what sparked the punch-up after the victim called next door to retrieve a cigarette which had inadvertently fallen over a fence into his neighbours’ back garden.

He heard the men had invited him in and then blocked him from leaving. One had said to him: “We’ve been waiting for you.”

The judge told them: “When inside the house the three of you set upon him. Whether you were lying in wait or whether this was an attack for revenge, I suspect I will never know.”

He added that the phrase “we’ve been waiting for you” suggested they had been making “some form of preparation for whenever the opportunity should present itself.”

Desmond Hollinshead, 35, of Mitton Drive was sent to prison for five years and four months after he pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on the neighbour.

Recorder Jones jailed 29-year-old Matthew Chambers, of Whitby Avenue, Ingol, for 21 months after he also pleaded guilty to GBH.

And he sentenced Darren Hollinshead, of Parish Gardens, Leyland to 15 months after he admitted a charge of affray.

Prosecution barrister Peter Barr told the court that the attack happened almost three years ago at around 11:30 in the morning when Mr Gladdon called next door to retrieve his cigarette.

Darren Hollinshead and Chambers lived in the house and Mr Gladdon knew them as neighbours. He was invited in where he also found a man who he assumed was Hollinshead’s brother because he looked so much like him.

Chambers was alleged to have said to him: “We’ve been waiting for you,” while Desmond Hollinshead moved behind him to block him getting out.

Chambers swung a punch which Mr Gladdon said he immediately knew his jaw had been broken. “I heard a crack” he said.

“The two other defendants joined in, hitting Mr Gladdon,” said Mr Barr. “He tried to leave the address, but he was dragged back in and the assault continued.”

Mr Gladdon had told police: “They all started hitting me and I was taking punches from all of them.”

Desmond Hollinshead, he said, put him in a choke hold with his arm around his throat. Then one of the men released an American style pit bull dog from another room which Mr Gladdon was having to kick at to keep it from biting him.

The dog was put away, but it was Desmond Hollinshead who then started trying to bite Mr Gladdon. First he tried to sink his teeth into his nose, but when the victim wriggled to one side he bit his right ear, tearing off a chunk of flesh.

Darren Hollinshead is said to have told the other two to “let him go.” But one of them is alleged to have warned him: “If you say anything we’ll kill you.” At that point Desmond Hollinshead head-butted Mr Gladdon on the nose, causing more injury.

He eventually managed to escape and the police were called. He was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital by ambulance where he was admitted for surgery on both his jaw and ear.

The jaw had to have a plate and screws inserted to repair it and what remained of the ear was stitched. A doctor confirmed that the injury to the ear had been “consistent with a human bite.”

When Darren Hollinshead was interviewed by police he admitted being in the house, but said Mr Gladdon had been aggressive and had started the fight. He denied assaulting him.

Chambers told police that he had not been involved in the assault and had not even been there when it happened. Desmond Hollinshead answered “no comment” to all questions.

In two victim impact statements, read out in court, the victim said he had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since the attack and was still on medication months later.

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He said he was fearful of going out and had moved away from the Preston area to help his recovery. His jaw was still painful and he was preparing to have more surgery to replace the metalwork.

He was also embarrassed about having part of his right ear missing and had grown his hair to help cover it up.

Beverley Hackett, for Desmond Hollinshead, told the judge her client had been a model prisoner since being held on remand. He had suffered a “very depressing and unenviable start in life” and had spent most of his childhood in the care system.

“Matters have gone from bad to worse from the time he came before the criminal justice system,” she said. He had responded to difficulties by turning to drugs.

Charlotte Phillips, representing father-of-five Chambers, said the single punch which broke the victim’s jaw had been his “somewhat limited role in the matter.”

At the time of the incident she said he had been going through some domestic problems. But she added: “He has expressed clear, genuine regret and remorse for the role he played.”

And Claire Larton, for Darren Hollinshead, said her client, like his twin brother, had had a difficult upbringing in the care system.

She said no specific injury suffered by the victim could be attributed to him and he was not the person who had released the dog into the room. In fact he had told the others: “Let him go and leave him.”

Recorder Jones told the trio the attack had been sustained and prolonged. He said Chambers’ punch was “a punch of some viciousness.”

“It fractured his jaw and he (Mr Gladdon) realised immediately his jaw had been broken. Thereafter he was rendered defenceless. He fought bravely, but was dragged back (into the house).”

He said Desmond Hollinshead had bitten off “a substantial portion of his ear and was holding him down. He said it was “vicious” and the victim had been subjected to constant punching and kicking by all the three men.”

The judge said he would not be issuing a restraining order banning the three from contacting the victim as he had moved away from the area.