A MAN who survived a frenzied machete attack was sent a chilling warning not to testify in court - a heart-shaped gravestone with his name carved into it.

But Simon Baxter, 29, continued with the case and last week saw the men who mutilated him jailed.

John Joseph Brown, 31 and Vincent Murray, 24, both of Stanley, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after more serious charges of attempted murder were dropped.

Sentencing them, Judge Peter Charlesworth recommended that an investigation be carried out into what he described as 'attempts to pervert the course of justice'.

Burglars took the 3ft high, 250kg headstone from outside Murray Memorials, in Deneburn Terrace, Consett, in January.

It was found the same week in Mr Baxter's garden in Upton, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, with his name crudely carved on the face.

Police have yet to charge anyone with the burglary or with intimidating a witness.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court this week, Brown and Murray admitted bursting into the Green Hat pub in Upton, in November last year.

Armed with a machete and butcher's knives, they chased Mr Baxter into the car park, where they inflicted horrific injuries, including an 8in-deep stab wound when they thrust the machete up through the victim's buttocks and into his bowels.

Mr Baxter also suffered several blows to the head, face and right elbow, plus stab wounds to the chest. Surgeons fought for five hours to save his life and he required 14 pints of blood during the operation.

The attack was retaliation for a slashing three days earlier in Upton, when Brown suffered cuts to his face and neck requiring more than 60 metal staples.

Judge Charlesworth sentenced Brown to nine years in jail, plus four months for breaching a community rehabilitation order.

Murray was sentenced to seven years, plus five months for breach of prison licence.

He had only been released from jail ten days before the attack on Mr Baxter, after appearing at Durham Crown Court on May 21, 2002, for affray and carrying an offensive weapon - a butterfly knife - in a public place.