Motorcycle thug led gang to throw bricks at family on their own Leeds estate driveway

Jordan Bodally was at the forefront of the “nasty and frightening” incident on North Parkway in Seacroft, which eventually forced the victims to move house out of fear. Leeds Crown Court heard that a dispute between the victim and his neighbour had been simmering for around 18 months when words were exchanged on the afternoon of May 3 this year.

The victim, along with his wife, mother, and two children, had been leaving their house at around 2pm. The neighbour beckoned over a gang of young men on motorbikes and scooters, prosecutor Stephanie Hollis said.

Among them was 26-year-old Bodally, who was seen wearing a white crash helmet. Home CCTV played to the court showed the victim remonstrating with Bodally. Items including bricks were thrown at the man and his family during a five-minute skirmish.

At one point Bodally jumped onto the man’s vehicle and kicked the windscreen, causing it to smash. Then Bodally and the other riders charged at the victim and attacked him. Bodally was later identified by a handprint he left on the victim’s vehicle.

He was not arrested until September 9, but before then was part of a three-man burglary team that targeted a property on St Matthew’s Way in Swarcliffe while the occupant was away.

Neighbours had heard a commotion at around midnight on June 27 and when they looked out of the window, saw the gang forcing open a garage door. They could then see sparks inside the garage as the gang cut through locks with an angle grinder to steal a £19,000 BMW motorcycle.

They then wheeled it away, however, Bodally had cut his hand in trying to free the bike and left a trail of blood on the driveway, which was forensically traced back to him.

Bodally, formerly of Peacock Way, Sherburn-in-Elmet, later admitted burglary of a dwelling, violent disorder, driving while banned and without insurance. The court heard that he had previous convictions for burglary, dishonesty, dangerous driving, attempted theft of a vehicle and had served time in jail for dealing crack cocaine.

Mitigating on his behalf, Michael Walsh said Bodally claimed he was not involved in the original planning of the burglary. He added: “It was a stressful time in his life – on the day of of the violent disorder he had received news about his unborn child. It’s not an excuse but the context is important. There’s no mitigation for the burglary apart from him going along with something that was suggested to him.”

He said Bodally had been in custody for over 85 days and said there were programmes that he could enrol on, should he be given a suspended sentence.

But the judge, the Recorder of Leeds Guy Kearl KC jailed him for three years. He said: “It was an extremely nasty and very frightening incident. You surrounded and confronted the man, his wife and their children. You played a leading role by entering the property and started throwing bricks and debris at the family.”

He also banned Bodally from driving for two-and-a-half years.