Shildon dad and son dragged man out of shop before brutal gang attack

Shildon's Daniel and Colin Robinson, and Joseph Tray were three of the men who dragged the victim from the store to continue the beating after he fled inside seeking sanctuary.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the violent armed attack took place after a relative of the Robinsons complained she had been the victim of an assault.

Uzma Khan, prosecuting, said Daniel Robinson used a pipe to repeatedly hit the man while Tray rained down kicks and punches on the victim while he was on the ground.

Daniel Robinson (Image: Durham Constabulary)

She said several people became embroiled in the assault including a child who was dealt with via an out of court disposal.

CCTV footage showed the victim trying to hide in the Premier store on Cockton Hill Road in Bishop Auckland before the Robinsons barged their way in and managed to wrestle him back outside.

She said: “Police received a number of calls that males were fighting in the street, some were armed with weapons and a number of people appeared to be attacking one male.”

The victim refused to assist the police with their investigation after accepting that he had been assaulted by a number of males.

Ms Khan said there was an allegation that the man had earlier assaulted a woman.

The judge watched CCTV footage of the attack which captured the victim being dragged from the shop, knocked to the ground where he was repeatedly hit was a pole by Daniel Robinson and kicked and punched by Tray.

Daniel and 26-year-old Colin Robinson, of West View Terrace, Shildon, and Tray, 42, of Sunnydale, Shildon, all pleaded guilty to violent disorder from November 17, 2024.

Calum McNicholas, who represented the father and son, said the pair had very different involvement in the incident and Colin had never been in trouble with the police before.

Mr McNicholas said the son had learning difficulties and urged the judge to spare him from an immediate prison sentence.

Dealing with the father, the lawyer said the 60-year-old had been out of trouble for 18 years and had committed no further offences since his arrest.

Joseph Tray (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Jonathan Gittins, representing Tray, said his client understands that he took part in a particularly unpleasant incident.

Judge Nathan Adams described the assault as targeted and prolonged as he jailed Daniel Robinson and Tray for two years each.

“You decided to escalate the matter and turn it into an incredibly violent scene,” he said.

“What took place was a sustained group attack on the victim. It involved the use of weapons.

“Daniel Robinson, you armed yourself with a pipe, and you set about hitting him repeatedly with that weapon.

“Tray, you continued to attack the victim whilst he was on the ground.”

Colin Robinson was made subject to a 12-month sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to attend 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.