A TEENAGE couple who kicked and beat a man with a pole, shattering his leg, have been locked up by Bolton Crown Court.

The court heard how Kyle Laycock and Kirbie Allport had been at a party at Laycock’s Morris Green Lane home on June 16 last year.

Peter Horgan, prosecuting, told how the party, which was organised by Laycock’s mother, Una, for her partner had ended when police were called. Laycock, aged 19 and Allport, aged 17, of Hurst Street, Bolton, stayed at the house and later Laycock ran outside after shouting that someone was in the garden. The intruder was Gareth Kemp, a man who had not been invited to the party. Laycock alleged Kemp was stealing cans of lager from the garden and made off on his younger brother’s bicycle. He ran after him, catching him up outside nearby shops, where he began punching Mr Kemp and, when he was on the ground, kicking him. Allport also ran outside carrying a pole and joined in the attack, beating Mr Hurst.

A passer-by called police and Mr Hurst was taken to hospital, where he spent two weeks and had two operations. He refused to make a statement to police.

The incident was caught on a shop CCTV and Laycock and Allport were identified. Both denied involvement until the day of their trial on June 26, when they changed their pleas to guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Bob Sastry, defending Laycock, said the incident started as self-defence but Laycock accepted he had gone too far and should have called the police when he spotted the theft. Ann Deakin, defending Allport, described her as a vulnerable young woman who had initially joined in the assault to defend her partner.

Recorder Bernadette Baxter sentenced Laycock to three and a half years in custody and Allport to three years.