TWO men have each been jailed for nine years for a sickening and terrifying revenge attack at a busy Bradford petrol station that left their victim with life-threatening injuries.

Shabaz Ahmed and Mohammed Sakif Khan were armed with axes during the gang assault on Barrington Depass at the Sainsbury's garage, on Harrogate Road, Greengates, at 4.45pm on Friday, October 9.

Mr Depass, 34, was pursued into the garage kiosk by a gang of four men, one of whom shouted: "Finish him off!" during the "vicious and violent" attack that almost severed his left hand, fractured his skull, broke his leg and left him with lacerations to his upper body.

Bradford Crown Court heard that he needed 16 hours of intensive surgery to save his life.

Ahmed, 28, of Hendford Drive, Pollard Park, Bradford, and Khan, 26, of Fagley Road, Fagley, Bradford, pleaded guilty today to causing Mr Depass grievous bodily harm with intent.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp said the men were part of a four-strong gang armed with axes and a pickaxe handle that targeted Mr Depass because they believed he had fired a shotgun at the Khan family home, in Fagley Road, three days earlier.

The shooting, at 9.30pm, smashed glass and damaged the front door, terrifying women and children at the address.

The incident was not reported to the police by the family and an offer to fit a Home Office alarm at the property was declined.

"Barrington Depass was thought to be responsible and a plan was hatched to wreak vengeance on Mr Depass," Mr Sharp said.

A silver Audi was bought on the Gumtree trading website and Mr Depass noticed that it, and a Shogun, were following him.

He was in a Peugeot car driven by his girlfriend when he sensed trouble and told her to drive on to the busy and public Sainsbury's forecourt.

Mr Depass fled into the kiosk where he was attacked in front of terrified cashiers and members of the public.

Mr Sharp said two gang members wore full face disguises but the defendants were unmasked and identified by Mr Depass.

Abbas Lakha QC, barrister for Khan, said: "He very much regrets his part in the events of the 9th of October."

The shooting at the family home three days before was "the root cause of the offence."

Khan worked for his father's meat and grocery business and customers had written to the court to speak very highly of him.

"This was entirely out of character. He is not a violent man by nature," Mr Lakha said.

"He was not involved in any of the planning. He did not buy the car. The first he knew about it was when he was asked to accompany the others."

Mohammed Nawaz, for Ahmed, said: "He is only too aware that the court will take an extremely dim view of this offence."

Mr Nawaz conceded it was sickening violence.

"It was an act of madness and stupidity," he said.

Ahmed was a hard working father-of-two who acted out of loyalty to Khan. The men had been friends for years and he believed Mr Depass had discharged a firearm at his home when young children were present.

"He ran with the pack but he was not the leader of it," Mr Nawaz said.

"He cannot quite believe that he involved himself in the violence that is depicted on the CCTV."

Judge Peter Benson said it was "a horrific attack" on Mr Depass after the gang decided to take the law into its own hands.

"It was a miracle he survived such a prolonged, vicious and sustained assault," he said.

"This was all done in broad daylight in a busy shopping area of Bradford to the terror of the people that witnessed it."

After the case, Detective Superintendent Simon Atkinson, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: "This was an unprovoked and shockingly violent attack on a defenceless man, which happened in broad daylight in a very public place.

"He is still recovering from his injuries today and we hope the sentences passed will be of some comfort to him.

"We also hope they will serve as a reminder that violent crime will not be tolerated in West Yorkshire, and that they will deter others from involving themselves in such incidents."