A JURY has cleared a father of taking part in a revenge attack which left another dad severely injured.
Danny Boothroyd Sr, 42, of Long Lane, Dalton, was yesterday acquitted of encouraging his sons to attack Brian Monkhouse.
Mr Monkhouse, of Teddington Avenue, Dalton, suffered a broken cheekbone and lost a tooth during the assault in his garden on May 13 last year.
Directing the jury to return a not guilty verdict at Bradford Crown Court Judge Peter Benson said: “It has never been the prosecution’s case that Danny Boothroyd Sr used any actual violence himself.
“The evidence does not support the view that during the time of violence he was shouting words of encouragement.”
His sons, Danny Boothroyd Jr, 20, of Cow Heys, Dalton, and Marc Boothroyd, 18, of Equilibrium, Oakes, deny causing grievous bodily harm. Danny Boothroyd Jr also denies having an offensive weapon.
The brothers are accused of attacking Mr Monkhouse to avenge their father who, they said, needed 16 stitches in his face after an alleged incident with Mr Monkhouse’s son.
But yesterday Danny Boothroyd Jr said he had “not laid a finger” on Mr Monkhouse and that Mr Monkhouse had struck the first blow.
He said he and his father had come round to have a “verbal discussion” with Mr Monkhouse, who came down his garden path.
Danny Boothroyd Sr said: “I heard a shout, I believe: ‘Oi! What are you doing here?’ or something to that effect. It was Brian Monkhouse.”
Defending barrister Matthew Harding asked: “What happened then?”
Danny Boothroyd Jr: “He punched me in the mouth.”
He said Mr Monkhouse had gone to his kitchen before returning with a carving knife.
He also denied kicking and hitting Mr Monkhouse with a brick or ladder.
Marc Boothroyd admitted punching Mr Monkhouse once to protect his brother but denied striking Mr Monkhouse with a brick.
The case continues.
