Group sentenced for hammer attack

Thirteen teenagers have been sentenced for brutally battering a schoolboy close to death with a claw hammer.

Henry Webster, of Wroughton, Wiltshire, was left fighting for his life after being attacked at Ridgeway School in January 2007.

The group were convicted at Bristol Crown Court of attacking Mr Webster, who was 15 at the time.

On Friday they were given custodial sentences ranging from eight months to eight years.

Violent disorder

Wasif Khan, 18, Amjad Qazi, 19, Nazrul Amin, 19 and four younger teenagers, all from Swindon, were all convicted of GBH.

Khan was sentenced to eight years in prison, and Qazi to a year. Amin was sentenced to 18 months.

Four defendants from Swindon, who cannot be named because of their ages, were given 18-month, 12-month and eight-month detention and training orders.

Aqduss Rauf, 20; Bilal Yakub, 18; Roubel Meah, 20; Mahbub Ali, 19; and Kamran Khan, 24; all from Swindon, were all given sentences ranging from 12 months to two-and-a-half years.

Another unnamed teenager was given eight months after admitting violent disorder.

Henry Webster, who attended Ridgeway School in Wroughton, Wiltshire, suffered three skull fractures during the violence.

One caused a brain injury and required surgery to save his life.

The court heard that the attack happened after Mr Webster had "barged" into a group of boys in a school corridor.

He had thought a one-on-one fight would ensue but as he came into the playground he was attacked by the group.

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