Atherton: Duo's 'unprovoked' attack on man going to work

Joshua Gallagher, 32, and Ross Hall, 36 were in a car on Car Bank Street, Atherton on September 4 last year when their victim drove past them after they stopped at traffic lights and did not move on when they turned green.

Bolton Crown Court heard how they then pursued him, hit the side of his car and followed him into a compound where Gallagher brandished a chainsaw.

Jane Dagnall, prosecuting, said: “He said the attack was so violent it all became one big blur, one big fight.”

Joshua Gallagher (Image: GMP)

Ms Dagnall played the court footage of the incident which shows a machete wielding Gallagher, of Chanters Avenue repeatedly shouting ‘write it down it was your fault’, appearing to refer to hitting the side of his car and threatening to ‘batter his head in.’

All the while, Hall was armed with a brick and helped with Gallagher threatening the man chasing him around the open compound.

Ross Hall, also known as Ross Coward (Image: GMP)

Gallagher continued to demand that he write this down, shouting ‘what am I going to have to do to make you write it down?’

But despite shouting this again and again he did not give his victim any chance to do so and at one point demanded that he hand over his car keys.

He then through the innocent man to the ground and along with Hall, of Bolton Old Road, kicked and punched him.

Ms Dagnall said that the victim was left needing stitches to his nose and with injuries to his chin and wrists.

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

John Batchelor, defending Gallagher, admitted that this was a “thoughtless, unprovoked, inexcusable and foul attack on a man on his way to work".

But he said that Gallagher understood the gravity of his crimes, was sincerely remorseful and deserved credit for having pleaded guilty to malicious wounding and possession of an offensive weapon at the first opportunity.

He said: “He looks at the video and can’t quite believe what he was capable of.”

Stephen McNally, defending Hall, said that he to was ‘embarrassed and ashamed of his behaviour but that he had played a ‘secondary role’ in the attack.

He had since been on holiday in the Caribbean with his family which gave him a ‘powerful incentive’ not to become involved in crime again.

But Recorder Ciaran Rankin reminded the court about how terrifying the experience must have been for the victim.

He said: “It is absolutely astonishing that this arose because he had the temerity to drive past you while you were sitting stationary in your car, its absolutely remarkable.”

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He said that the crime was a ‘classic joint enterprise’ case in which both Gallagher and Hall were equally responsible.

Recorder Rankin sentenced Gallagher to three years and six months in prison.

Hall was given a slightly longer sentence due to a previous conviction for robbery and was sent to prison for three years and nine months.