THREE Newport men were jailed for a total of 17 years for brutally stabbing and beating a man and “leaving him for dead” in an apparent revenge attack.

Robert McGregor, 37, Darryl Green, 34, and Dean Hamilton, 43, were all sentenced at Newport Crown Court after attacking Damien Lynn in daylight in a busy Newport street.

McGregor, of Liscombe Street, Alway, was given eight years in prison for causing grievous bodily harm with intent for stabbing Mr Lynn with his own knife in the car park next to the Kwik Save building in Commercial Road, Pill.

Hamilton, of Broadmead Park, Lliswerry, was sentenced to eight years for GBH with intent and Green, of Elgar Avenue, Alway, was sentenced to 12 months for assisting an offender.

Michael Jones, for the prosecution, said on February 7, 2012, McGregor, Hamilton and Green drove around Pill looking for Mr Lynn, who they thought was part of an alleged armed burglary which saw Hamilton’s sister and her partner, McGregor, threatened at knifepoint when their cannabis plants were stolen.

The court was shown CCTV evidence which showed a blue Vauxhall Zafira car driven by Green travelling around Pill before McGregor got out to walk.

At 1.15pm Mr Lynn, wearing a high-visibility jacket, started walking down Commercial Road, unaware he was walking towards the car.

McGregor, who was behind him, gestured to the car to indicate Mr Lynn’s presence.

Hamilton got out of the car and he and McGregor chased Mr Lynn, while Green drove behind them.

Mr Lynn ran into the car park next to Kwik Save before falling.

The court heard that Green stayed in the car as McGregor and Hamilton kicked, stamped and beat Mr Lynn, and McGregor repeatedly stabbed Mr Lynn with his own knife.

After the attack, a witness said the pair then “casually”

got back into the car and Green drove them away.

McGregor dumped the blood-stained clothes and the knife on wasteground in Alway, and they were later found by police.

Mr Jones said: “Mr Lynn was repeatedly stabbed, kicked and stamped on, giving him near-fatal injuries before he was left for dead.”

Witnesses called the emergency services and administered first aid before Mr Lynn was rushed to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport. The injuries included arterial damage and wounds to his left forearm, leg, thigh and calf, which required an emergency operation. He also required three units of blood and three IV drips of fluid following the attack, but made “a remarkable recovery”, Judge Eleri Rees said.

Victim’s knife was used

JUDGE Eleri Rees said: “You all have unpleasant and lengthy records.

“The most important part of Mr McGregor’s defence was that he did not take the knife to the scene. The knife belonged to Mr Lynn. It was only at that point that any serious harm crystallised.”

I didn’t bring a weapon to the scene – defendant

MCGREGOR’S defence barrister, Andrew Jones, said he did not intend for the incident to become as violent as it did – he did not bring a weapon but used Lynn’s own knife on him “in the heat of the moment”.

David Martin, for Hamilton, said he did not use a weapon or use Lynn’s knife, and he did not intend the level of violence which occurred. He said he did not realise that Mr Lynn had been stabbed, nor the extent of his injuries.

For Green, Robert Duvall said he stayed in the car and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to assisting an offender. He argued Green did not realise the extent of the injuries inflicted upon the complainant.

McGregor also asked Mr Jones to tell the court Green had nothing to do with the incident.