A "violent young man" who launched a ferocious baseball bat attack on his former partner has been locked up for five years.

Victim Natasha Hetherington was beaten about the head, legs and back when four people burst into a house on Carlisle's Raffles estate in December.

One of the gang was 25-year-old Reece Bellas - the ex-partner of Miss Hetherington, who was left bruised.

Carlisle Crown Court heard he "recruited" his mother, Nicola Bellas, 46, his 31-year-old aunt Claire Bowman and a cousin, Daniel Matthews, 23, for violence which broke out on December 19.

Bellas, of Newtown Road, Carlisle, was jailed today having admitted five offences. This included an aggravated burglary while in possession of a baseball bat, and an assault on Miss Hetherington in her own home earlier in December.

His three co-defendants each admitted a charge of violent disorder.

Matthews, also of Newtown Road, was sent to prison for 32 months; Bowman, of Grange Road, Carlisle, was jailed for 30 months and Nicola Bellas, of Hammond Close, Carlisle, was given a two-year prison term but hers was suspended for 24 months.

In addition, Nicola Bellas must observe a six-month night-time curfew.

Passing sentence, Recorder Paul O'Brien told "ringleader" Reece Bellas: "You are, I fear, a violent young man and lacking in self-control."


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