Masked gang attacked woman in her Leeds home with hammers and axes in 'vigilante-style' revenge attack

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
A gang of masked men armed with hammers and axes exacted revenge on a woman in her home, leaving her needing surgery and potential life-long vision problems.

James Gray recruited a team of men to attend the woman’s Gipton home where he smashed his Ford van into her house and son’s car, put the windows through before one of the gang, wearing tights over his head, struck the woman to the face with an iron bar.

It stemmed from a family feud and took place hours after the woman attended his home and caused damage, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Father-of-two Gray had been at his home on Foundry Mill Walk in Seacroft on the night of January 8 when the woman, who was in drink, turned up with other males shortly after 10.30pm, demanding Gray contact relatives because she wanted to fight them.

Gray and his associates wore masks and attacked the woman at her home on Hollin Park Crescent in retaliation for an earlier incident in which she smashed windows at his home. (pics by Google Maps / National World)Gray and his associates wore masks and attacked the woman at her home on Hollin Park Crescent in retaliation for an earlier incident in which she smashed windows at his home. (pics by Google Maps / National World)
Gray and his associates wore masks and attacked the woman at her home on Hollin Park Crescent in retaliation for an earlier incident in which she smashed windows at his home. (pics by Google Maps / National World) | Google Maps / National World

They put a downstairs window through and smashed the window of a Seat Leon parked outside before leaving.

But an hour later, Gray and his gang drove to the woman’s home a short distance away on Hollin Park Crescent, where she was at home with her son and his pregnant girlfriend.

The woman heard shouting and looked at her CCTV and could see several masked males carrying hammers, axes and what looked to be a bottle of liquid. She noticed they got out of Gray’s white Ford van.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gray reversed the van at speed forcing the woman to jump out of the way. He flattened a conifer tree and struck the house, before he rammed the Vauxhall Corsa parked outside.

They smashed the windows to the property so the woman went back into the house to dial 999. She was then confronted on the decking, where the man wearing tights on his head struck her to the face.

She later required three titanium plates to be inserted into her face and suffered two bleeds behind her eyes leaving her with a “black spot” in her vision.

The van was later found burnt out, but was easily traced to 32-year-old Gray. He was arrested and gave a no-comment interview, but was picked out in an identification parade.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He admitted a charge of violent disorder. He has no previous convictions.

Mitigating, Martin Morrow said Gray was “not a man of many words” and described him as a “broken man”. He said he was a self-employed landscape gardener but struggled with depression.

Mr Morrow said: “He accepts it was an act of madness. It was utterly out of character. He has genuine remorse and regrets his actions.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Judge Richard Mansell KC said it was a “vigilante-style attack” and told Gray: “Because there’s no formal complaint, I simply do not know where the truth lies.

“You recruited several men who knew exactly what they were doing.”

He said that he would not lock Gray up, due to the serious provocation, his lack of previous convictions and his remorse.

He gave him two years’ jail, suspended for 12 months, 20 rehabilitation days and 200 hours of unpaid work. He also told him to pay £900 compensation to the woman.

Related topics:
Leeds news you can trust since 1890
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice