Inside the gang machete assault which noticed Jay Slater spared jail
The machete attack carried out by teenager Jay Slater and others in 2021 could have been fatal, but for the heroic intervention of a young girl who threw herself onto the victim’s body to save him.
Her bravery was hailed by the judge at the trial of Jay and seven others, who brutally attacked him with machetes, an axe and a golf club.
Judge Philip Parry commended the 15-year-old girl’s courage, saying: ‘This was an act that undoubtedly prevented him from being more seriously injured or killed.’
Three years on and Jay, one of the perpetrators, is missing in Tenerife having disappeared in the early morning of June 17, sparking a huge police search for him.
Jay, who was 16 at the time of the incident, was said by witnesses to be ‘on the periphery’ of the attack.
Although the defendants were cleared of a more serious charge of wounding with intent to commit GBH, all were found guilty of violent disorder.
Some – though not Slater – were also convicted of witness intimidation, supply of Class A drugs and street robbery, which was linked to a County Lines drugs gang.
Jay Slater (pictured), who was 16 at the time of the incident, was said by witnesses to be ‘on the periphery’ of the attack
Tom Hilton (pictured) was left with injuries to his head which left his skull exposed during the attack in 2021
Mr Hilton has urged amateur sleuths to ‘have some respect’ after Jay went missing
The incident began shortly before 9pm on the night of August 6, 2021 when Mr Hilton, then 17, walked to an old paper mill in Hermitage Street, Rishton, Lancashire
Slater had no previous convictions when the case finally reached Preston Crown Court last year. Like the others, he escaped youth custody and was given instead a community service order.
The incident began shortly before 9pm on the night of August 6, 2021 when Mr Hilton, then 17, walked to an old paper mill in Hermitage Street, Rishton, Lancashire.
The derelict building covered with graffiti and the woodland surrounding it had become a hang-out for local youths and security fencing around it had long since been trampled down to allow them access.
After more than a year of pandemic lockdowns, young people in the area had faced some of the toughest restrictions in the country.
Amid broken glass and piles of rubble, youths gathered at the mill to drink alcohol and meet with friends.
Some took drugs and others scrawled graffiti on the walls. It was dark, damp – and well away from parental eyes.
Tom Hilton arrived at the mill looking for a girl he knew and was met by a teenager, who went inside to get her. Minutes later, eight boys, aged between 14 and 18 emerged and started chasing Tom ‘like a pack of gorillas’, according to his account.
It was said there was ‘beef’ between Tom and some of the group – although exactly what was never clear. For his part, Tom reluctantly said he knew them, but they had simply ‘drifted apart.’
Jay Slater, 18, received an 18 month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 150 hours unpaid work
Kane Taylor, 20, was given an 18 month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 150 hours unpaid work
Davis Hargreaves, 18, was given a two year community order with 35 days rehabilitation activity requirements and 200 hours unpaid work
James Meagre, 18, was handed a two year community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 200 hours unpaid work
Connor Armstrong, 19, was handed a two year community order with 35 days rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work
The derelict building covered with graffiti and the woodland surrounding it had become a hang-out for local youths
Security fencing around the mill had long since been trampled down to allow them access
Some wore balaclavas, one was armed with a machete, another had an axe, one had a hammer and another was wielding a golf club.
Fearing for his life, he ran through the woods and onto the road, where the gang caught up with him.
According to witness statements there were around 50 young people in the area at the time.
The trial judge said the eight defendants – who most likely were joined by others who escaped punishment – acted together.
When they caught up with him, he was knocked to the ground with a golf club and set upon with a machete.
As Mr Hilton turned his face away to try to avoid being struck by the blade, he heard someone screaming: ‘Stop it! You’re going to kill him!’
Amid broken glass and piles of rubble, youths gathered at the mill to drink alcohol and meet with friends after more than a year of pandemic lockdowns
Tom Hilton arrived at the mill looking for a girl he knew and was met by a teenager, who went inside to get her. Minutes later, eight boys, aged between 14 and 18 emerged and started chasing Tom ‘like a pack of gorillas’, according to his account
He heard his attackers say, ‘I don’t give a f***. We are going to kill him’, as he was struck in the back of the head.
The fearsome weapon struck his head so deeply that his skull was visible.
The 15-year-old Good Samaritan selflessly then pulled one of his attackers away and threw herself over Mr Hilton’s body to protect him.
Following her vital intervention, the group walked off, saying: ‘He’s dead boys’.
As well as the deep cut to the back of his head Mr Hilton suffered severe wounds to his shoulder blades and legs.
He had visible stamp marks on his legs and bruises to his ribs.
Once the attackers had walked off, other members of the larger group of witnesses went to Tom’s aid and called an ambulance.
Throughout the subsequent trial at Preston Crown Court, all the defendants laughed and joked in a way that the judge said showed disrespect.
Judge Philip Parry told them during sentencing: ‘I have to have at the forefront of my mind the fact that most of you were children when you committed these offences’.
‘I make it very, very clear that all eight of you have behaved disgracefully, in relation to the violent disorder but also intimidation of witnesses, supply of class A drugs and street robbery. You should all eight be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves but I am not at all convinced you are.
‘Many of you have found these proceedings amusing throughout the trial and yesterday and today, showing disrespect to the court. I hope for the sake of all your families, the public and the people who have offered you jobs and apprenticeships and the sort that you all grow up. Every one of you deserves to be sent to youth detention.
‘Some of you played a more active role in the violent disorder than others, some of you carried weapons, some wore balaclavas but the seriousness of this is the group nature of it. As a group you were all more threatening than you would have been as individuals.’
The judge said if the group had been convicted of the more serious charge of section 18 wounding, they would all have gone to youth custody. However he said he took a rehabilitative approach when sentencing them.
He said: ‘Today is going to be a life-changing or life-defining event for you all. You all have a chance to go into a lawful and law abiding direction. I can almost feel the sense of relief from your families and supporters in the public gallery who all expected you to go to custody today. As I said earlier, you all richly deserve to.’
The sentences were: Danny Yakub, 18, an 18 month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 180 hours of unpaid work. Connor Armstrong, 19, a two year community order with 35 days rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work.
James Meagre, 18, a two year community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 200 hours unpaid work. Davis Hargreaves, 18, a two year community order with 35 days rehabilitation activity requirements and 200 hours unpaid work.
Kane Taylor, 20, was given an 18 month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 150 hours unpaid work.
Jay Slater, 18, received an 18 month community order with 25 days rehabilitation activities and 150 hours unpaid work.
A 16-year-old who could not be named for legal reasons was given an 18 month youth referral order with 18 months supervision, 91 activity days a four month curfew and an intervention plan.
A 17-year-old, also unnamed, was given an 18 month youth referral order with 18 months supervision, 91 activity days a three month curfew and an intervention plan.
