Prison for attack on innocent man

A thug pumped up on steroids smashed his way into a family’s flat, dragged the father out of bed and then punched him in a revenge attack — on the wrong man.

Christopher Bibby (24), of Farm Street, Failsworth, pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial in May to aggravated burglary following the attack in September, 2007.

He was jailed for four years and three months yesterday at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Bibby, and an accomplice, broke into the flat on Hardman Lane, Failsworth at around 8am — wrongly believing that the victim had stabbed their friend the previous night.

He was in bed with his partner, but was dragged from his bed and beaten with a metal pole while Bibby punched him in the face.

The attack only lasted a minute before Bibby and his friend fled the scene. Bibby’s blood was found at the property, after he cut his hand smashing the door into the flat.

Prosecuting, Mr Steven Wild, told the court that the couple had left their son with a baby-sitter and gone out with friends for the evening.

Mr Wild said, “They got to bed at around 4am. At around 8am in the morning, they were awoken by two men in their bedroom.

“The victim was then dragged from the bed on to the floor by the two males — one of whom was carrying a metal bar.”

The court heard that one of the males was shouting “you stabbed me boy up in Oldham” in reference to an attack on one of Bibby’s friends the night before — but that the complainant was in no way connected to the attack.

Sentencing Bibby, Judge Jonathan Mort, said, “There is absolutely no evidence at all that he had anything to do with such an incident.

“This illustrates what goes wrong when people take the law into their own hands.”

Defending Bibby, Miss Alison Mather, told the court, “At the time of this offence, he was taking steroids and he would lose control more easily. He is very remorseful for what has happened.

“He is disgusted that he could behave in this manner.”