Thug torturer jailed for six years

JAILED . . . Adam Matthews

A Limeside thug has been jailed for six years after a man and his friend were tortured in a raid.

Victim Stephen Phillips had one ear pierced with a pen and the other burnt with a cigarette lighter as the two raiders demanded money and threatened to kill his dog.

The pair forced their way into Mr Phillips’s home and attacked him and his friend Adam Armer, when they came home from a night out.

Mr Phillips was punched, kicked and then bit on the nose as the pair made off with his wife’s jewellery and a TV freeview box from their home in Limeside.

Adam Matthews (22), of Birch Avenue, Limeside, was jailed after he admitted two counts of robbery at Minshull Street Crown court, Manchester.

The second man has never been charged.

The incident happened in the early hours of April 26, last year when the two men were asked for a cigarette.

The friends became worried, dashed home and closed the front door. Seconds later it sprang open as the defendant and his fellow robber tried to enter the house.

The two victims were forced into the living room and ordered to sit down, whereupon both raiders began kicking the dog and then threatened to kill it if it didn’t stop barking.

They then began punching Mr Phillips in the face. The second man produced a brown beer bottle and he used it to hit Mr Phillips about the head.

He then did the same to Mr Armer causing a head wound which later needed hospital treatment.

Other blows then rained down and an air freshener was sprayed into their faces. Demands were made for money and mobile phones which they handed over.

The second man continued to abuse the victims at one point burning Mr Phillips with a cigarette lighter.

The defendant then took Mr Armer upstairs where the heard the screams from Mr Phillips as the second man pierced his ear with a pen and attempted to do the same inside his mouth.

Both victims were then taken to the kitchen. Mr Phillips was again punched in the stomach by the other man who then tried to force his head in a deep fat fryer which he had turned on.

Matthews then intervened and said “enough”.

They then left and told the victims not to contact the police and said they would return in three days when they expected £150 to be given to them.

The second man then poked Mr Phillips in the eye and Matthews bit his head and nose.

Defending, Mr Gary Woodhall said: “The Crown’s case in essence draws a distinction between this defendant and the other offender and their roles. This is, of course, a joint enterprise, but the violence inflicted by the two men acting together was punching and slapping and towards the end a bite by this defendant.

“And that is in a different category to the violence used soley by the other defendant.

“The defendant is finding his first period in custody extremely difficult. He has a long-term girl friend who is the mother of his child. But since he has been in custody she has ended the relationship and he is now unable to see his eight-month-old daughter.

Sentencing Judge Andrew Lowcock said: “You and another man forced your way into Stephen Phillip’s home and what happened there was quite horrific. You both subjected him and his friend Adam Armer to a sustained violent attack.

“The most horrific violence was not carried out by you but the other man and from time to time you told him to stop.

“But that violence was part of a joint attack on these two victims.