Vulnerable epileptic Chorley man was punched and had cable ties attached to him in dispute over money

Two men who tried to tie cable ties around their former friend's ankles, neck and wrists after punching him have been jailed.
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Paul Ince, 50, and Nicholas Cogle, 44, both of Princess Street, Chorley, admitted causing actual bodily harm to victim, Steven Wilkes, in Chorley on September 6.

Preston Crown Court heard vulnerable Wilkes claimed he suffered an epileptic fit after he was punched in the head in a dispute about money.

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Prosecuting Jacob Dyer said: "Steven Wilkes had known Paul Ince for many years, and then more recently due to Nicholas Cogle, and they generally got on well.

Preston Crown CourtPreston Crown Court
Preston Crown Court

"They were all drug users and Wilkes regularly visited their flat on Princess Street to take drugs. It seems on September 6 for, Steven Wilkes, for whatever reason, owed some money to Paul Ince."

The court heard on Thursday, September 5, Wilkes and a female friend went back to Ince's flat.

Mr Dyer added: "They ended up drinking and taking drugs through the night.

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"Wilkes' recollection was incomplete because he was intoxicated so much, but for most of the evening everything it seems was fine.

"At some point the following morning, at around 10am Wilkes seems to have been challenged by Paul Ince about money. He seems to have been alleging money had been taken from him."

Wilkes was punched in the head and claims he suffered an epileptic fit. Cable ties were then tied to his wrist, ankles and neck by Cogle.

Neighbours heard shouting between 10am and 11.30am and eventually police were called.

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When they arrived at 11.40am, they saw Wilkes in the living room, seemingly alone, but he tried to make an escape.

The woman came to the front door and then Ince, who shouted he had had enough of him.

A short time later the woman accompanied Wilkes to the door, and police could see he was injured, with a bloody face and marks on his neck.

Ince tried to persuade him to go back inside, saying they would 'have a drink later' but the frightened man wouldn't.

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An ambulance was called and paramedics checked his injuries.

Mr Dyers added: " He was obviously distressed and fearful at that time. he had bleeding and abrasions to his torso but not serious injuries.

"He still had one cable tie on his ankle and was crying at that point asking paramedics to help him."

After spotting the cable tie, officers knocked on the door and arrested Cogle, but when they tried to arrest Ince he became aggressive and had to be Pava sprayed.

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Both denied the attack until the first day of their trial when they changed their plea.

They were acquitted of false imprisonment, but Judge Simon Medland QC said the cable ties were a feature of the attack and would be taken into consideration.

Jailing them for 12 months each, he t;old the defendants their victim was a "much less well built man" who was in much worse health than them.

He added: " You performed a sustained assault on him. You were both intoxicated and there are elements of you inflicting gratuitous degradation on him."

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Ince was also sentenced for two months extra for breaching a suspended sentence order made by Truro Crown Court in April 2018 for causing serious injury by dangerous driving, after admitting the theft of a pedal cycle on June 6.