A THUG who attacked a man with a bottle before punching his wife at their shop in Orford has been jailed.

Ian Shipley, of no fixed address, was jailed for 10 years at Liverpool Crown Court today, Thursday, having earlier pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent and unlawful wounding.

He was serve at least seven-and-a-half years of this sentence before being considered for release.

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Shipley - who has a staggering 113 previous convictions - carried out the brutal attack on September 13 at the Local Express Store on Concorde Place.

He entered the building at around 10pm when the owners, a 65-year-old man and his 59-year-old wife, were alone in the store.

Once inside the 35-year-old grabbed hold of the man from behind and repeatedly hit him on the head with a bottle and demanded that he opened the till.

This attack caused him a 'deep' 3cm laceration to the right eyebrow.

Fearing for her husband’s safety, the woman attempted to intervene, only to also be assaulted by Shipley, who punched her in the face several times - fracturing her left cheekbone.

Warrington Guardian:

Ian Shipley

Following the sustained attack, the pair managed to flee the store, with the owner crawling across the floor in a desperate attempt to seek help from passers-by.

Alone in the store, dad-of-one Shipley made his way behind the counter.

He attempted to access the tills before exiting the store empty handed, calmly stepping over the owner as he lay seriously injured on the floor.

The court heard that the couple are considering giving up their business as a direct result of Shipley's attack.

Detective constable Carl Davis said: “The level of brutality used by Shipley was appalling and inexcusable.

“He carried out a sustained and violent attack on the victims despite the fact that they did not show any aggression towards him at any stage.

“His actions in using his superior power and strength to repeatedly attack the victims were cruel and cowardly.

“The incident left the victims with a number of serious injuries, including a fractured cheekbone.

“While the injuries they sustained will heal over time, the memories of Shipley’s shocking attack will stay with them forever.

“However I hope that the sentence handed to him today will help to provide some closure and allow them to move on with their lives.”

But this is not the first time Shipley has been hauled before a court.

He has previously been convicted of four robberies - including offences in 2003 and 2008 for which he was jailed for 42 months and 30 months respectively.

Shipley was then caged again for six years after raids at the McColls on Grasmere Avenue where he was a regular customer and a knifepoint robbery at Betfred on Poplars Avenue in April 2015 - taking more than £1,000 in order to take his family on holiday.

Read more here.

The serial offender was released in August last year, despite being convicted of two assaults on prison staff during his spell inside.

Within weeks, he had reverted back to type.

Sentencing, judge Neil Flewitt said: "This must have been terrifying for your victims.

"They suffered serious physical injuries, and I'm satisfied that the effect on both victims was serious psychological harm.

"It seems your violence continued even when you were serving a prison sentence.

"You were released from a six-year sentence only three weeks before you committed these offences.

"I'm satisfied that you targeted vulnerable premises at a time when the shop was likely to be quiet.

"This was gratuitous, repeated and serious violence against two vulnerable individuals.

"I have no hesitation in concluding that you are a dangerous offender."

Judge Flewitt also handed Shipley a restraining order preventing him from contacting the couple or entering the store for the next 10 years.