Gang member who almost severed a rival's arm in meat cleaver attack jailed

Andrew Redmond, 24, was involved in gang fight in Bootle newsagent

He dragged rival Jonathan Gordon outside and hacked at him 15 times

Only stopped when he accidentally struck himself in the arm

Redmond jailed for 13 years after pleading guilty to causing GBH



Jailed: Andrew Redmond has been sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison

A thug has been jailed for nearly 13 years after he was caught on camera attacking a rival gang member with a meat cleaver.



Andrew Redmond nearly severed the arm of Jonathan Gordon after hacking at him 15 times, only stopping the assault when he accidentally struck himself with the blade.



The 24-year-old initially claimed he had got his injury from falling off a motorbike, but later pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.



Yesterday he was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court.



The fight began at a newsagent in Bootle in October last year when two rival gangs began attacking each other.



Redmond was not initially at the scene, but when friends called him for 'back-up' he arrived armed with a meat cleaver, and dragged Mr Gordon out of the shop.



David Birrell, prosecuting, said: 'Redmond can be seen to approach the shop, he drags Gordon from the shop where he fell to the floor. At that point Mr Redmond rains blows down on him, about 15 times mostly to his head, back and neck.



'It was a ferocious attack, so ferocious that the defendant's arm went limp and he struck his own arm with the cleaver causing himself serious injury.'



Mr Gordon, who was jailed for affray earlier this year, refused to make a complaint, but the paramedics who treated him called the police to arrest Redmond.

Attack: Redmond hacked at Jonathan Gordon with a meat cleaver 15 times during the incident last year CCTV: The brutal assault was caught on surveillance cameras outside a newsagent in Bootle, Merseyside

The victim suffered cuts to his head, ears, legs and neck, and his left arm had all of its tendons severed, leaving him with long-term mobility problems in his arm.



The defendant claimed he was innocent, saying he was not at the scene, but later admitted his guilt.

The court heard he had previous convictions for smashing someone in the face with a brick and knocking a man unconscious by hitting him on the head with a lump of wood studded with nails.



Judge Clement Goldstone QC told Redmond: 'This offence marks a meteoric rise in seriousness.



Injury: The attack only ended when Redmond struck himself in the arm with his own weapon

'Despite your age and room for maturity in the future the sheer ferocity of the attack has to be seen on DVD to be believed.



'The fact that you took a lethal weapon to the scene allied to your previous offences, which I cannot ignore, drives me to the conclusion that you currently present a substantial risk of serious harm to those with whom you are in confrontation. You are a dangerous offender.'



James Kinsell, 18, whose grandparents ran the newsagent which was the scene of the fight, was jailed for 20 months after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice.

