'She-Devil' mother and her feral teenage children left two men for dead after bottle beating and stabbing

-Matthew Howard, 27, missed the birth of his latest child while in hospital after being stabbed 14 times with a machete
-Jordan Daley, 18, needed 51 stitches after being beaten with a bottle

By Rob Cooper


A mother-of-two nicknamed 'The She-Devil' after being involved in savage unprovoked attacks on two men with her feral teenage children has been jailed for 10 years.

Margaret Gilheaney, 36, was arrested after the first victim, Jordan Daley, was battered with a bottle by her son Joseph, 19, in their 'dirty and smelly' £30,000 terraced property in Accrington, Lancashire.

He needed 51 stitches and was scarred for life following the attack which happened as he celebrated his 18th birthday.

The mother-of-two was then also involved as a father-of-three was stabbed 14 times.

Matthew Howard, 27, thought he was going to die after being attacked by Margaret and her daughter Isabel, 18.

He was dragged out into the alleyway and abandoned. He suffered a collapsed lung, nerve damage and was left disabled.

While he was in hospital he missed the birth of his youngest child three days later when he was in hospital.

Both attacks were meted out for pleasure by the teenage children at separate rowdy parties.

After Margaret and her children were jailed one neighbour said: 'People called her the She-Devil because of all the problems at her house and none of us are surprised her brood turned out to be little horrors too.'

Her daughter Isabel was jailed for six years while her son Joseph was given eight years.

Sarah Booth, prosecuting, told Burnley Crown Court that as Mr Daley, 18, tried to leave the party in August 2010, at the grim family home but Gilheaney and his friends followed him outside and attacked him.

The victim was repeatedly hit and kicked while he lay on the ground screaming for help.

Miss Booth said: 'He believed he was knocked unconscious and a witness described everyone piling on top of the victim and the defendant.

'Another onlooker told how Mr Daley ended up with a hole in his lip, his nose split in half and with deep cuts all over his face and body.

Jailed: Joseph and Isabel, both 19, who carried out the attacks on Jordan Daley and Matthew Howard in Accrington, Lancashire

'Mr Daley and his friends finally got away, were chased as they left and he went to hospital, where he had 26 stitches to his face and 25 in his arms.'

The court heard police later made several arrests.

Then last February, while Gilheaney was on bail, Mr Howard was attacked as he tried to leave the family's 'dirty and smelly' home.

Miss Booth said Maughan locked the door, became aggressive and clenched his fist as if he was going to punch him. The victim took a 'pre-emptive' strike before a brawl broke out.

The prosecutor added: 'Mr Howard felt what he thought were punches to his back, felt warm and weak and turned to see Margaret and Isabel Gilheaney with a machete type knife.

'He collapsed on the floor on his back, felt numb all over and couldn’t move his leg. Isabel Gilheaney passed the knife to her partner who continued the attack.

Grim: The 'dirty and smelly' mid-terrace property, worth £40,000, where Margaret Gilheaney lived with her children

'Maughan wielded the weapon towards the victim’s face, Mr Howard put up his arms to protect himself and was gashed.

'The victim thought he was going to die and drifted in and out of consciousness. He pleaded with the defendant to stop, telling his assailants he had three children.

'Maughan tried unsuccessfully to pull him up by his neck and the three defendants then dragged him into the back yard, down a step and left him in the back street. He believed he was going to die there alone in the alley.'

Margaret later called an ambulance but falsely claimed she had just come across Mr Howard in the street.

Mr Howard said of his attackers : 'I feel the public will not be safe if they are released.'

The court heard when questioned by police, Margaret Gilheaney claimed self defence and her children denied any involvement.

However, she admitted violent disorder and wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Isabel, who lives with her mother and has racked up 20 previous convictions, admitted wounding with intent.

Joseph, who has 35 previous convictions, admitted wounding with intent and affray. He also admitted chasing two neighbours down the street with a two-and-a-half foot machete in a separate incident.

Isabel’s boyfriend Martin Maughan, 19, from Accrington, was also jailed for three years four months for wounding while convicted robber David Cammack, 28, who is already serving four years jail for a shop raid, was given another 12 months for violent disorder.

Passing sentence Judge Jonathan Gibson said Joseph should be regarded as a 'dangerous offender.'


Behind bars: Martin Maughan, 19, who admitted wounding, and David Cammack, 28, who was guilty of violent disorder


source:dailymail