Pair jailed over savage assault on vulnerable man in his home in West Bowling, Bradford

David Stewart, 33, assaulted Neil Hartley over a period of up to two hours in three rooms at the property in Hopbine Avenue, West Bowling, Bradford, in the early hours of April 12.

He pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and was imprisoned for ten years and 11 months with a three-year period of extended licence.

Stewart and his co-accused, Jason Cowgill, were both originally charged with attempted murder after Mr Hartley sustained a traumatic brain injury, facial fractures, a stab wound to his arm and bleach burns.

Jason Cowgill, who cleaned up bloodstains after the attack

Cowgill, 39, of Hopkinson Drive, Bierley, Bradford, was jailed for two years after admitting an offence of assisting an offender. He cleaned up bloodstains with bleach and water at the house after the attack but took no part in the violence.

The court heard that Stewart had been living at the housing trust accommodation in Hopbine Avenue for five months at the time of the attack.

He rang a key worker at the property at 4.25am to say men had come into the house and he feared for his life.

She raised the alarm and the police and paramedics were quickly on the scene.

Police at the scene in Hopbine Avenue in April

Mr Hartley, who the court heard was a vulnerable drug addict, was lying in the kitchen in the recovery position under a blood-soaked duvet. The house smelled strongly of bleach and the floor was covered in water.

He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary and admitted to the intensive care unit.

He was on a ventilator after suffering a very severe brain injury.

The court heard that he had since made a “remarkable recovery” but the injuries would have an impact on him for the rest of his life.

He was also left scarred by the bleach burns.

Stewart had previous convictions for wounding, battery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault on an emergency worker. Cowgill had recently served a jail sentence for Section 20 wounding.

Stephen Wood QC, Stewart’s barrister, conceded that it was a sustained and repeated assault. But Stewart did place Mr Hartley in the recovery position and alerted the key worker, who called for help.

“The enormity of what he had done hit home,” Mr Wood said.

Tahir Khan QC, for Cowgill, said the clean-up operation did not hamper the police investigation.

Judge Jonathan Rose told Stewart: “It was a brutal and savage protracted assault in which weapons were used.”

Mr Hartley had been kicked with a shod foot and struck with a linear-shaped implement.

It was “an unwarranted, grave, sustained, repeated assault” while Stewart was under the influence of substances.

Cowgill took no part in the assault. He made substantial efforts to clean up blood-staining but his efforts achieved nothing whatsoever. It was inevitable that Stewart would be detected and arrested.

After the case, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Nicholson, who led the investigation, said: “These two men have been handed significant prison sentences for their actions.

“The incident was deeply distressing for the victim and his family, but he has made some recovery from his injuries.

“We welcome the sentences for Cowgill and Stewart today at court; their behaviour and actions that night were despicable and we are pleased that we have been able to bring them to justice.”