THREE young boys who beat a father in a prolonged and vicious attack showed no remorse, a detective has said.
Former carer Alan Willson’s face and skull were shattered when the boys beat him in a park in Worthing on Easter Sunday last year.
Two teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and Harry Furlong, 18, from Horsham boasted and joked about the remorseless attack minutes after beating Mr Willson with heavy logs.
Harry Furlong, 18
The two boys, aged 14 and 15, were convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent by a unanimous jury.
Harry Furlong, 18, from Horsham, was found guilty by a majority jury of grievous bodily harm without intent following a 14-day trial at Hove Crown Court.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Dunn, lead investigator, said: “This was a sickening and violent assault on an innocent man, who had simply stepped in to help an injured and upset young boy.
Former carer Alan Willson’s face and skull were shattered when the boys beat him in a park in Worthing on Easter Sunday last year.
“The injuries sustained by Alan showed that this was a sustained and prolonged attack – those responsible for this clearly intended to cause serious harm by their actions and have shown no remorse since.”
DCI Dunn praised Alan’s wife, Annie, for her “gallantry and dignity” throughout the trial.
He said: ‘I can only hope the outcome in court today gives them comfort and allows them to move on and focus fully on Alan’s recovery.
“I would also like to thank the team of investigators who worked so hard to build a solid case, and the witnesses who came forward to help us bring those responsible to justice.”
Allan Wilson
Chief Inspector Sarah Leadbeatter, Worthing District Commander, said she understood the “shock and upheaval” caused to the community following the attack.
She said: “I would like to reassure communities that we continue to do a tremendous amount of work in Worthing to try to address issues around youth violence and anti-social behaviour.
“It is important to recognize that the issues we have seen in the region are related to a small cohort of young people, but this is not something that can be solved overnight, or by any single agency. This requires a partnership approach that we are heavily invested in and will continue to be part of in the future.
“I want people to be safe but also to feel safe in Worthing and so we will continue to have high visibility patrols in sensitive areas, dedicated policing operations focused on tackling youth violence and my Neighborhood policing teams will continue to engage with local communities to build on community intelligence and provide that assurance.
Police were called to Whitebeam Road in Worthing at around 7.30pm on Easter Sunday last year after Mr Willson was found injured in the street following the assault in nearby Longcroft Park.
Her Honor Judge Christine Henson QC told the court that the three teenagers would be sentenced later.
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Source: www.theargus.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-05-12 15:42:48
