Two men jailed over machete attack on Paisley couple and child Published duration 11 October 2019

image copyright Police Scotland image caption Brian Brooks, left, and Josh McIntyre were found guilty of attempted murder

Two men who carried out a machete attack on a couple and a three-year-old child have been jailed for 12 years each.

Brian Brooks and Josh McIntyre were wearing forensic suits when they forced their way into a house in Paisley, Renfrewshire, in September last year.

They tried to murder Christopher Mellon with blows which left his brain exposed by a cut through his skull.

Mr Mellon, 27, later had to have three fingers on his left hand amputated.

His partner Donna Galloway and a young boy were also injured.

'Premeditated attack'

The High Court in Edinburgh heard Mr Mellon underwent surgery lasting 17 hours following the attack.

A judge told Brooks and McIntyre, who had another accomplice, that the injuries inflicted on Mr Mellon had resulted in "significant loss of function" to his hands.

Lord Brodie told the pair, both aged 26: "The evidence showed what appeared to be a carefully planned, premeditated attack by three attackers armed with machetes and knives.

"It involved forced entry to a private home and the attack with weapons on those present, one of whom was a three-year-old child."

Brooks, of Thornliebank, and McIntyre, of Pollok, in Glasgow, had earlier denied assaulting the victims at an address in Ferguslie Park Avenue, Paisley, on 24 September.

But they were convicted of attempting to murder Mr Mellon and assaulting Ms Galloway, 34, by repeatedly striking her with machetes on the head and body.

They were also found guilty of assaulting the boy by repeatedly striking him on the head with the weapons.

Related Topics Paisley