Ball bearings fired from catapult in Gloucestershire attack

Four men have been sentenced for using threatening and unlawful violence

A man says he still feels vulnerable after ball bearings were fired from a catapult by a group with a sledgehammer.

Animosity involving families from Gloucester and Evesham escalated on the weekend of King Charles's Coronation weekend in May.

Four men visited the victim's house and damaged two cars.

The men were sentenced on Wednesday at Gloucester Crown Court to 11 years and seven months in prison between them.

Prosecutor Susan Cavender said a feud involving the Johnsons and O'Loughlin families on one side, and the Smith family on the other, escalated on 8 May.

Danny O'Loughlin junior, 25, Mihai Pricina, 31, Conner Delaney, 27 and Ethan Cooney, 20, along with an unknown fifth man - went to the home of Robert White because they believed he was responsible for the arrest of a member of the O'Loughlin family earlier that day.

The attackers launched ball bearings from a catapult and used a sledgehammer to damage two expensive vehicles and frighten Mr White.

'Massive strain'

In a victim impact statement, Mr White said he saw a man running at him with a sledgehammer.

"This keeps going through my mind. I've become very distant from those around me and I feel I have PTSD," said Mr White.

"This is the first time in my life I have felt vulnerable. The whole incident has had an effect on the whole family putting a massive strain on us."

"We no longer feel it safe to invite friends or family around to visit. We feel ostracised and isolated from the local community," he continued.

Cooney of no fixed address, Pricina of Waterside in Evesham, O'Loughlin of Waterloo Street in Cheltenham, and Delaney of Castle View in Eckington, all pleaded guilty to using threatening and unlawful violence, causing people to fear for their safety.

The four men were sentenced to 11 years and seven months in prison between them

The judge, Recorder James Bromige told the defendants: "You targeted Mr White because you believed that somehow he was behind an arrest.

"Your actions have had a significant effect on him and his wider family, which I feel will be long-lasting."

Recorder Bromige sentenced Delaney to three years and four months in prison, O'Loughlin to three years and three months in prison, Pricina to two years and ten months in prison and Cooney to two years and three months in a young offenders' institution.

All four were made subject to an indefinite restraining order not to contact Mr White or his family.

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