12-08-2025
Teens stabbed father in chest in Braintree attack while he was trick-or-treating with his children
Three teenagers who stabbed a father while he was out trick-or-treating with his children have been jailed.
The victim, who has not been named by police, had asked the three boys to stop swearing around his family, who were celebrating Halloween in Coggeshall Road in Braintree, Essex, on 31 October last year.
The boys then became aggressive, beating the victim and stabbing him in the chest in front of his young children.
Witnesses flagged down a passing police officer and the teenagers were arrested shortly after the attack, from which the victim has now recovered.
Bailey Wood, 19, was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison at Chelmsford Crown Court on 6 August, while a 16-year-old received five years and nine months and a 17-year-old was handed a three-year sentence.
They were 15 and 16 respectively at the time of the attack and cannot be named due to their ages.
Wood and the 16-year-old had been charged with robbery, GBH with intent, possession of a bladed article and affray, while the 17-year-old was charged with robbery and affray.
Det Con Jessie Grimsey from Essex Police praised the bravery of the victim and the quick thinking of the witnesses at the scene.
He added: "The length of these sentences show that, regardless of age, if you commit a serious crime you can expect a significant amount of time behind bars.
"We will not tolerate upstanding members of the public being targeted as they go about their daily business and we will take action where that happens."
