Exeter, England – Three individuals from Exeter and East Devon have been sentenced to a combined total of over 30 years in prison after carrying out a brutal attack that left a former friend in a coma fighting for his life.
The victim, Euan Baker, was 18 years old when he was violently assaulted in his Exeter home by three masked assailants wielding a baseball bat and a hammer. The attack, which occurred on April 27, 2021, resulted in Mr. Baker sustaining a traumatic brain injury, forcing him to spend two weeks in a medically-induced coma on a ventilator.
Although the assailants, Kai-Rhys Lawson, Aidan Manvell, and Hazem Badran, were acquitted of attempted murder by a jury, they were found guilty of Section 18 assault grievous bodily harm with intent. Additionally, they admitted to robbing Mr. Baker of his phone and bicycle a few weeks prior to the serious assault.
The court revealed that the attack stemmed from a previous robbery where the defendants, driven by a long-standing feud over money, targeted Mr. Baker as retribution. The violent assault on April 27 resulted in Mr. Baker sustaining serious head, facial, chest, and leg injuries, as well as multiple brain bleeds and fractures.
Following a thorough investigation that included CCTV footage and mobile phone evidence, the trio was apprehended and charged with various offenses related to the assault. Detectives uncovered incriminating evidence linking each defendant to the crime scene, ultimately leading to their convictions.
In sentencing, Lawson received 13 years and six months, Badran received nine years and two months, and Manvell received eight years behind bars. Despite their attempts to deny involvement or downplay their roles in the attack, the evidence presented in court painted a clear picture of their culpability.
The lasting impact of the brutal assault on Euan Baker and his family was acknowledged by Detective Sergeant Joanne Rotchell, who praised Euan’s resilience and cooperation throughout the investigation. The prolonged recovery process and enduring trauma of the attack serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of such violent acts.