Men found guilty of wounding charges after incident in Gislingham

Two men who were part of a trio accused of being involved in an incident at a house in Gislingham have been found guilty of wounding charges.

Following a trial at Ipswich Crown Court, the three men were on Wednesday found not guilty of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm and committing aggravated burglary.

However, a jury found two of the men guilty of wounding charges for which they will be sentenced next month.

The prosecution claimed that Benjamin O’Connell and his father Anthony were attacked by masked intruders in the kitchen of their home in West View Gardens shortly after midnight on March 11 last year.

The jury heard allegations that Anthony O’Connell woke up after hearing shouting in the kitchen of his home and went to investigate.

Giving evidence, Mr O’Connell said he found his son grappling with a masked man and another masked man standing in the doorway.

Mr O’Connell senior said he was then struck on the head, leaving him bleeding as he and his son managed to push one of the men outside where his hat came off, exposing his face.

On trial were Charlie Jolly, 20, and Phillip Jolly, 24, both of Chapel Farm Close, Gislingham and Aiden Talbot, 25, of Cranley Road, Eye.

All three were found not guilty of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm and committing aggravated burglary.

Phillip Jolly was found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm while Talbot was found guilty of two offences of unlawful wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Charlie Jolly was found not guilty on the directions of Judge John Devaux on a charge of aggravated burglary while Phillip Jolly was found not guilty on the judge’s direction of two wounding charges involving Anthony O’Connell.

Giving evidence, Talbot said he drove his friend Phillip Jolly to West View Gardens, Gislingham because he wanted to talk with Benjamin O’Connell about threats alleged to have been made against Jolly’s mother.

Talbot claimed that after agreeing to go into the house, an argument began between Jolly and Mr O’Connell who allegedly swung a bat at Jolly.

The court heard claims that Talbot struck Mr O’Connell over the head in self defence and then struck Mr O’Connell senior who pulled him to the ground.

During the scuffle, Talbot said he felt blows being inflicted to his shoulder, chest and buttock and discovered later that he had been stabbed three times.

Charlie Jolly told the jury that allegations he organised an attack on Benjamin O’Connell by his brother and a friend were untrue.

The court heard from Jolly that his mother alleged that Ben O’Connell made an abusive remark to her and there was already bad feeling between the two families over claims of damage to Mr O’Connell’s van.