Three men have been convicted in connection with serious assaults, violent disorder and weapons offences in Newbury.

Jake Blandford, 19, of Westbrook Road, Croydon, Jake Bozarth, 19, of Clarks Row, Oxford and Dwayne Toussaint, 19, of Ewing Way, Newbury, were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts following a trial lasting three weeks at Reading Crown Court.

Blandford and Toussaint were found guilty of section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of violent disorder, and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Bozarth was also found guilty of section 18 GBH with intent, violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

They will all be sentenced at the same court on January 2025 16.

On 8 May 2023, Blandford, Bozarth and Toussaint chased one of the victims, a young man, away from the address of Dwayne Toussaint in Ewing Way, Newbury, while carrying baseball bats and other weapons.

Upon catching up with him, they assaulted the victim, causing serious injuries to his head, leading to him being placed into an induced coma and suffering long-term medical issues following a bleed on the brain.

Shortly after this initial attack, Toussaint and Blandford chased another man and attacked him with weapons, including an extendable baton.

Toussaint was charged on January 20 2024, while Blandford and Bozarth were charged on 30 January.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Sean Morris, based at Newbury police station, said: “I hope that this conviction and sentence will reassure the public that we will simply not tolerate such violence within our communities.

“They will now face the consequences of their violent actions, and I would like to express my thanks to those witnesses who were brave enough to come forward and support this investigation.

“I fully appreciate the concern these incidents caused in the local area, and the community can be reassured that we will always prosecute such violent offenders and put them before the courts where they belong.”