As his teenage son watched in horror they brutally attacked sleeping man with metal pole

Two thugs who brutally attacked a man with a metal pole in front of his teenage son have been jailed.

The victim, in his 40s, suffered serious head, facial and rib injuries in the assault, which came as he slept on his couch. Police said the horrific attack happened at around 4am on May 31 last year, after the victim had had a few drinks at pubs in Chorley, lancs.

During the night, he bumped into one of the defendants, Wayne Baines, who was known to him. The victim, his brother, Baines and another man, later went back to the victim's home, where Baines claimed the victim had insulted someone earlier on.

Officers said 'this appears to be a case of mistaken identity'. At around 4.04am, CCTV captured two men arriving at the house in a taxi, one of them carrying a metal pole.

A few minutes later, Baines came out of the house and greeted the two men who were wearing balaclavas – one of them was Jack Williams who was carrying an imitation firearm. The men then entered the house and attacked the victim who was asleep on the couch in the living room, the assault witnessed by the victim's teenage son.

The man suffered two fractured eye sockets, a fractured rib and a bleed on the brain. His screams were picked up by the CCTV. Lancashire Police launched an investigation, and Baines and Williams were arrested on June 23 at a hotel in Charnock Richard.

Baines, 32, of no fixed address, was found guilty by a jury of Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear, and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. Williams, 28, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the same offences.

Appearing at Preston Crown Court for sentence on Monday, Baines was given an 18-year