Father and son jailed for honour-based violence in Nelson

A father and son have been jailed for honour-based violence in Nelson, Lancashire police said in a statement.

The pair, aged 53 and 22, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were sentenced last week at Preston Crown Court after admitting to assault causing actual bodily harm.

The father was sentenced to 19 months in prison and his son was jailed for 16 months.

"We just want to make clear that Lancashire Police will not tolerate any HBV and we are committed to protecting the victims of such abhorrent behaviour and prosecuting those who engage in it," the statement added.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) defines honour-based violence as 'a crime or incident, which has or may have been committed, to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or community’.

The offence happened on May 14 after the 16-year-old victim had returned home having gone to the shop to get some fresh air.

During the time, her family has been calling her but she didn't pick up. When she got back home, her dad took her phone off her and started to hit her.

Her brother then instructed her to go upstairs while he checked her phone. Later, he asked her to come downstairs before grabbing her father's walking stick and beginning to beat her on her back.

Later, her dad joined his son in hitting her. Her mother and little sister tried to intervene but they were told to go away.

The court heard that the victim’s brother said he was going to kill her and he grabbed her and tried to kick her out of the house. Her dad took her back into the house and started to hit her again.

Her brother punched her to the face several times, which made her nose and lip bleed.

Somehow, she managed to run upstairs to the bathroom when her mother did initially manage to stop the defendants from hitting her.

PC Carley Gaynor from East hate crime unit, said: “The victim explains at first she was really affected by it because she was taken away from her family and she lived away for four months, which she found hard. She says she couldn’t believe her dad and her brother did that to her.

“She says at first she was in pain (from the assault) and she was angry at her family for everything that had happened and at the start she said she didn’t want to go back and she just wanted to leave.”

According to the police, the victim said she wants a relationship with her dad and brother even after the brutal incident.

“I want to praise the bravery of the victim in this case. I know the unwarranted attack and everything else that has resulted solely because of the disgraceful actions of the defendants have had a profound effect of the victim and other members of her family," Gaynor added.

“I want to thank the family member who reported the HBV attack to the police, recognising such behaviour is completely unconscionable."