Gang savagely beat man unconscious after neighbour dispute

SIX men armed with metal bars and wooden sticks savagely beat a man unconscious after a neighbour dispute flared into trouble.

Self-employed builder Trevor Frodsham was left bleeding with a fractured cheek, double vision, cuts, bruising and torn clothes as he was knocked to the ground.

Two of his attackers, Danny Hare (28), of Bushfield Road, Wath, and Jack Houlton (26), of Trough Drive, Thrybergh, were jailed on Monday.

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Sentencing the pair at Sheffield Crown Court, Judge Julian Goose told them: “This was a frightening attack in front of his own children, family and friends.”

Mr Frodsham (36) lives with his partner and young children in Wath and his rear garden backs onto Hare’s rear garden.

There had been “minor and petty matters” between the victim and Hare, who had moved in a few months earlier, before the attack in the early hours of July 5 last year.

The neighbours’ feud escalated when Hare and his family had a barbecue party and water balloons were thrown through Mr Frodsham’s open kitchen window.

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Mr Frodsham asked the revellers to stop but was met with threats and abuse. He was told he would get his windows broken and to watch his step.

Five days later Mr Frodsham held his own family barbecue which finished at about 10.30pm and he and his partner went to bed.

But he was awoken soon afterwards by a loud banging on the front door and a man asking to speak to him because Mr Frodsham had a “beef” with his brother.

The man was told to go away or the police would be called but he refused and continued to bang and kick the door, said Mr Ian Goldsack, prosecuting.

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He eventually went away but when Mr Frodsham came out to escort a family member home there was a shout of: “He’s here, look.”

A group of six men emerged from a nearby gennel and Mr Frodsham ran towards his house, but was pulled back as he clung onto the door frame.

His legs were pulled away and his shorts came down as he felt a heavy blow to the back of the head. 

Some of the men shouted: “Get him out of the house” before he fell unconscious.

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Mr Frodsham came round in the front garden with his stepson and aunt pulling him towards the house. 

He could remember receiving numerous blows to the head and face.

The court heard the men were all armed with wooden sticks and metal bars.

Mr Frodsham said in a victim impact statement that he was now scared to leave his house and was “living like a prisoner in my own home”.

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Hare and Houlton both admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Goose said the group had “clearly designed to carry out an attack on the complainant”.

Houlton put his thumbs up on the videolink and smiled as he was jailed for 20 months, while Hare received 24 months in custody.

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