Trapped in the garage. The 2021 Wesham, Lancashire incident involved four mechanics who carried out an attack on an autistic teenage apprentice working at a garage off Weeton Road. Key Case Details The Incident: On mid-2021, four colleagues targeted a vulnerable teenage apprentice during his shift. Three of the men chased the victim around the garage while spraying an aerosol accelerant ignited by a blowtorch directly at his legs. Trapped in the Garage: The fourth man, Simon Hickinbottom, leaned against the exit door from the outside to block the apprentice from escaping while his colleagues cornered and attacked him inside. Discovery: The perpetrators were recorded on the garage's internal CCTV laughing during and after the attack. The assault came to light after the victim sought treatment at a local health centre for severe burns to his upper thighs, prompting medical staff to report the injuries to Lancashire Police. The police investigation revealed a history of escalating workplace bullying and abuse. CLICK here.

 The 2021 Wesham, Lancashire incident involved four mechanics who carried out an attack on an autistic teenage apprentice working at a garage off Weeton Road.

Key Case Details

• The Incident: On mid-2021, four colleagues targeted a vulnerable teenage apprentice during his shift. Three of the men chased the victim around the garage while spraying an aerosol accelerant ignited by a blowtorch directly at his legs.
• Trapped in the Garage: The fourth man, Simon Hickinbottom, leaned against the exit door from the outside to block the apprentice from escaping while his colleagues cornered and attacked him inside.
• Discovery: The perpetrators were recorded on the garage's internal CCTV laughing during and after the attack. The assault came to light after the victim sought treatment at a local health centre for severe burns to his upper thighs, prompting medical staff to report the injuries to Lancashire Police. The police investigation revealed a history of escalating workplace bullying and abuse.

Sentences Handed Down at Preston Crown Court (May 2022)

All four men were prosecuted at Preston Crown Court and received custodial prison sentences:

Defendant	Charge / Offense	Sentence
Adam Lavelle (34)	Section 20 Unlawful Wounding	18 months imprisonment
Michael Jeffrey (31)	Section 20 Unlawful Wounding	14 months imprisonment
Soldon Legdani (23)	Section 20 Unlawful Wounding	10 months imprisonment
Simon Hickinbottom (45)	Common Assault & False Statement	21 weeks imprisonment