A BUSINESSMAN who organised a vigilante attack on a man he wrongly accused of stealing his works van has been spared a jail sentence.

Kevin Wilkinson believed that victim Nicholas Loveridge had stolen the van and recruited friend Matthew Bailey to mount a terrifying night time ambush on his home.

The two men and a third intruder burst into Mr Loveridge’s bedroom as he slept and assaulted him in an attempt to get him to admit he had taken the van.

His glasses were smashed and his phone was taken to prevent him calling for help before the attackers left his cottage home at Sandygate, near Newton Abbot.

Mr Loveridge was renting a room from Wilkinson’s brother Dean, who was in a long running dispute with him over doggy day care companies which they previously ran.

He had nothing to do with the theft and was not the person in a hoodie who Wilkinson had filmed on his phone driving away in the van.

Wilkinson travelled from his home near Bridgwater to carry out the attack and picked up Bailey from Exeter on the way. Police were able to track the stolen phone on the return journey.

The victim raised the alarm by going to a neighbour’s house in the middle of the night and police took him to Torbay Hospital for a check-up which showed he had bruising to his head and hand.

Wilkinson, aged 49, of Andersea Road, Westonzoyland, and Bailey, aged 39, of Stemson Avenue, Exeter, both admitted common assault, theft and criminal damage.

They were both jailed for 20 and 21 months respectively, both suspended for two years by Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court.

Wilkinson was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation and Bailey to do 15 days of rehabilitation activities. They were both ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid community work.

The judge told them: ‘There had been a dispute between Wilkinson and his brother Dean about the acrimonious break-up of a partnership in a doggy day care business.

‘You formed the view that your brother had taken your van and the victim Mr Loveridge had something to do with it. Accordingly, with Bailey and another man, you went to see him.

‘You broke his glasses, took his phone and left him with swelling and bruising to his face and nose. He protested his innocence.’

Mr Herc Ashworth, prosecuting, said the attack happened at around 10.35pm on December 23, 2019, when three men kicked open the door. Mr Loveridge was alone because Wilkinson’s brother Dean was away on holiday.

Mr Loveridge recognised the two defendants but not the third man, who did not take part in the attack or theft and who urged the other two to leave.

Mr Ashworth said Bailey got on the bed and started punching Mr Loveridge in the face while telling him ‘you’ve got just one chance to tell me the truth’.

Wilkinson then grabbed and crushed Mr Loveridge’s spectacles before demanding to know where his van was. He showed him footage of a man in a hoodie getting into the van and claimed it was Mr Loveridge.

The men then left with Mr Loveridge’s £1,000 iPhone, two £20 notes which had been on his computer table and the broken remains of his glasses.

Mr William Parkhill, defending Wilkinson, said he had worked hard to set up his business, which had been affected badly by the theft of the van, which has since been returned.

He said he is still running his doggy day care business even though many customers have stopped using it because they are working from home during the pandemic.

Mr Brian Fitzherbert, for Bailey, said he had stayed out of trouble for a long time and is now the main carer for his 11-year-old daughter, who has medical issues.

He said he only got involved as a favour to his friend Wilkinson and acted under the mistaken belief that there was had a genuine grievance.