THREE men have been jailed after they chased father-of-four Martin Joseph from his home and battered him with a baseball bat and a golf club.

Witnesses told Reading Crown Court how they heard the attackers, who all come from High Wycombe, shouting "Kill him, kill him" as they kicked and beat their victim.

One witness told the court how she feared Mr Joseph, 28, of Tinkers Wood Road, High Wycombe, would die during the beating and that she could hear him screaming for help.

The men, who had been found guilty of wounding with intent and aggravated burglary at an earlier hearing, were each sentenced last Friday to five years. They had pleaded not guilty.

Judge Brian Catlin told the court how Leon Small, 31, of Desborough Road, his brother Anthony, 26, of Colne Road, and Barry Sanderson, 28, of Edmund's Close, had carried out a "savage and cowardly attack" on Mr Joseph on June 20 and 21 last year.

Mr Joseph suffered a suspected broken arm, extensive bruising and needed eight stitches to a head wound after the attacks.

Mr Joseph told the Bucks Free Press after the case: "I was sleeping when they smashed the door in. I saw four men coming up the stairs, so I barricaded myself in the bedroom.

"My wife Susan was shouting for the police, which scared them off, but they came back later and chased me down the street and caught me."

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