Sowerby gang acted like 'pack of hyenas' in shovel attack
- Published
(clockwise from top left) Walter McDonald, John Thomas Hardy, Gary McDonald and Mark Farrow were sentence at Bradford Crown Court
A gang who acted like a "pack of hyenas" when they attacked a man with a shovel in front of his wife and children have been jailed.
The victim's car was smashed up while his family were inside and the gang threatened to chop his hand off during the attack in Sowerby, near Thirsk.
Bradford Crown Court was told the man was left with severe cuts and bruising.
John Hardy, Mark Farrow, Gary McDonald and Walter McDonald were jailed after pleading guilty to violent disorder.
Police said the attack, which happened in the early hours of 27 July, 2020, was targeted and followed a dispute.
North Yorkshire Police said one witness described the men as acting "like a pack of hyenas to meat".
Speaking after the hearing, Det Con Martin Willoughby described the attack as "horrific and deeply traumatic".
He added: "His attackers were cowards, using weapons and ganging up on an unarmed man, beating him repeatedly in front of his wife and young children before turning their attentions to his wife and damaging her vehicle."
Gary McDonald, 24, of Kings Meadow, Sowerby, was jailed for two years and six months and Walter McDonald, 24, of Fox Covert Place, Malton, who was jailed for two years.
Farrow, 45, and Hardy, 46, of Bankside Close, Sowerby, were both jailed for 20 months.
Each was also given a restraining order preventing them from having any contact with the victim for the next 15 years.
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