Jailed in Norfolk this week: Knife attackers, armed man and shop worker

Connor Farley, Brandon Green and Leon Jones. Photo: Norfolk Constabulary (Image: Archant)

Connor Farley, Brandon Green and Leon Jones

Three men were jailed in connection with a knife attack in a Norwich flat which only stopped after the victim's sister screamed at her brother's attackers that they were "going to kill him" if they carried on.

He had been set upon by a group of young men on September 28 last year, but they returned armed with weapons to carry out a second, more serious attack.

David Wilson, prosecuting at Norwich Crown Court, said Brandon Green, now 19, Connor Farley, now also 19, and Leon Jones, now 18, were involved in a "joint enterprise attack" against the victim.

Green, of Tuckswood Lane, Norwich, appeared for sentence on Monday (October 7) after being found guilty of wounding with intent and two offences of assault causing actual bodily harm following a trial in March.

Farley, 19, of no fixed abode, and Jones, 18, of Wingfield Road, Norwich, also appeared for sentence having both previously admitted wounding with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Sentencing all three defendants Judge Alice Robinson said it was a "shocking incident of violence" in which the victim suffered life-threatening injuries.

She assessed all three defendants as dangerous offenders who all pose a significant risk of serious harm to the public and gave Green an extended sentence of 12 years custody and three years on licence.

Farley and Jones were each given extended sentenced of nine and a half years custody with three years on licence.

Michael Bensley

A man who threatened to "slit the throat" of his neighbour in a block of flats was jailed for 12 weeks after admitting a public order offence and failing to answer bail.

Michael Bensley appeared at the door of his next door neighbour, whose carer was with him at the time, wielding a "flimsy" craft knife, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Police were called to the property at Nuffield Close in Gorleston on May 6 and arrested Bensley, but he later failed to turn up at court.

Prosecutor Oliver Haswell told the court the victim had refused to make a statement to police, but his carer had given police enough information for a prosecution.

Bensely was charged with possession of a bladed article, but it could not proceed to court as the hallway was not a public place.

Judge Katharine Moore said it was a "concerning offence".

She added there is no prospect of rehabilitation as Bensley told the probation service he did not want help.

Freddy Knight

A shop worker who stole nearly £20,000 from a safe went on a spending spree, buying expensive camera and motorcycle equipment, a court heard.

Freddy Knight, 31, was working as shift manager at the One Stop Shop, in Middleton Road, Gorleston, when he stole the cash by disabling the store CCTV and spraying a security camera before accessing the safe using its code, Norwich Crown Court heard.

He then later returned to set off the store alarm to make it look like a break-in, the court heard on Friday.

When Knight was arrested he had just over £500 in cash, which he claimed was what was left of his savings.

But police found that just before the theft he was £19 into his overdraft and that after he made a number of lavish purchases, spending £1,290 on new camera equipment and buying expensive motorbike leathers costing £1,000.

He also bought a new motorbike and paid off high-interest loans amounting to £6,000.

Knight, of Magnolia Green, Gorleston, had denied theft of £19,780 in December 2016, but was convicted following a four-day trial.

Jailing him for three years, Judge Andrew Shaw described him as a "thoroughly dishonest and manipulative" person whose devious plan had cast suspicion on his innocent colleagues, one of whom had suffered anxiety and stress as a result and had to leave the job.