Overview
- Ben Collins and Samuel Nicholson, both 25, were each jailed for 28 months at York Crown Court after guilty pleas to possessing an offensive weapon, affray and attempted kidnap.
- The sentencing followed an April 19 incident in Eastfield where two men in white protective suits and dark gloves chased a lured victim with machetes, who escaped uninjured.
- Investigators determined the attack was a case of mistaken identity after reviewing evidence recovered by a member of the public, including two machete-style knives and discarded suits.
- Police said Nicholson purchased the suits and gloves in the days before the plot, reinforcing premeditation.
- Communications between Collins and Jacob (Jakub) Jankowski showed planning to lure the target, and Jankowski received a 12-month community order with 180 hours of unpaid work for encouraging and assisting.