THREE men who went on a random rampage through Warrington town centre, leaving a teenager with a four-inch stab wound to the neck, have been jailed at the town's Crown Court.

Richard Antrobus, aged 24, of Fearnhead Lane, Fearnhead; Stuart Bamford, aged 22, of Sandy Lane, Orford; and Daniel Sharkey, aged 26, of Hughes Avenue, Orford, were all caged last Friday after admitting their part in a series of attacks across the town centre last June, which left three men injured.

Sharkey was given a four-and-a-half-year sentence after admitting responsibility for the neck wound to 17-year-old Owen Ellis, while Antrobus was given three years and Bamford two years.

David Potter, prosecuting, said: "All of these men were on a rampage through Warrington town centre, determined to cause trouble, and their targets were totally random."

The court heard that the men's first victim was Andrew Devine, a long distance lorry driver, who became involved in a discussion with Antrobus after leaving Mr Smith's nightclub.

A scuffle broke out and Mr Devine was stabbed in the back - leaving him with a wound two inches across and two inches deep.

Mr Potter said that moments later, the group met Mr Ellis and his friend. Mr Ellis was punched in the face and then had his throat cut by Sharkey, leaving him with a wound four inches across, exposing muscle and "miraculously" missing a main blood vessel. Mr Ellis needed an operation and is now afraid to leave his own home.

The final incident involved an attack on Mr Steven Gerard-Hayden, who had witnessed the attack on Mr Ellis.

Mr Potter said that Antrobus rejoined the other two and that all three charged through the town centre, screaming as they went.

Mr Ellis escaped, but Mr Gerard-Hayden was found by the men in Bewsey Street, where he was attacked and left with a broken wrist.

The barristers for the three defendants said that they should receive credit for their early guilty pleas.

Sentencing the three men, Judge Michael Farmer QC said: "The people of Warrington are entitled to better than this. They are entitled to be protected and to feel safe from such behaviour."