Two men jailed following aggravated burglary in Ellesmere Port

Two men who broke into an address in Ellesmere Port and assaulted the homeowner with a machete have been jailed.

Daniel Dickinson and Nathan Tuppeny, both aged 30, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Thursday 14 April.

Dickinson, of no fixed address, was jailed for 11 years, plus four years on extended licence, after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary.

Tuppeny, of High Street Gresford, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he admitted assisting an offender.

During the hearing the court heard how at around 10.20pm on Sunday 7 July 2019 the victim, a 43-year-old man, was in bed at his home on Rivacre Road when he heard a loud banging noise.

Concerned, the home owner entered his living room where he was confronted by Dickinson who armed with a machete who ordered him to get down onto the floor.

The home owner refused, at which point he was attacked with the machete, severing an artery in his right shoulder.

Fearing for his life the he fled his address but as he did so, he was then struck around the head once again with the machete causing a laceration to his head.

Dickinson then fled the scene and escaped in a vehicle, which was driven by Tuppeny.

The victim managed to escape and seek help. He was subsequently taken to hospital where he underwent immediate surgery to repair his artery.

During a subsequent investigation, detectives from Ellesmere Port CID gathered a catalogue of evidence linking Dickinson and Tuppeny to the incident.

Most importantly, they recovered the machete used in the incident, and were able to forensically link Dickinson to the attack.

Officers also seized a number of mobile phones that contained messages about the incident.

Following the sentencing DCI Justin Hancock, Crime Manager for Ellesmere Port, said: “Everyone has a right to feel safe in their own home, so I cannot imagine how the victim must have felt when he discovered a man, wearing a balaclava and wielding a weapon, in his address.

“He sustained significant injuries during the attack and I have no doubt that the outcome could have been far worse had he not managed to escape.

“Thankfully, as a result of the evidence gathered by the team here at Ellesmere Port, Dickinson and Tuppeny both pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them and are now being held accountable for their actions.

“While the victim will never be able to forget what happened on that night, I hope that the sentences handed to Dickinson and Tuppeny will provide him with some closure and allow him to move forward with his life.”