Two brothers from the Brookhouse estate in Eccles have been jailed after carrying out brutal stabbings at a dance music festival in Blackpool.
Luke Sandlan, 26, and Elliott Sandlan, 20, both of Boddington Road, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and wounding with intent after stabbing three people at Pier Jam.
2,000 people descended on Blackpool’s North Pier on 26 September 2015 for the closing party of the annual electronic music festival.
At around 10.30pm that night a fight broke out in the crowd.
A 24-year-old victim, from Irlam, was stabbed 14 times in the leg.
He needed urgent treatment at Royal Preston Hospital and later had to have part of his right leg amputated, such was the severity of the injury.
Two others suffered single stab wounds: a 30-year-old man from Bradford and a 15-year-old boy from Manchester who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Pier Jam stabbings: Brothers charged with attempted murder
The festival attracts thousands to Blackpool every year
Both have since been released from hospital.
The court accepted that these charges would lie on file.
Police recovered the knife at the scene.
Luke and Elliott Sandlan tried to flee after carrying out the attacks but were apprehended by festival security staff.
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Luke Sandlan pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was jailed for 11 years.
He was also given an 18 week sentence to run consecutively after he had a suspended sentence activated for an unrelated matter.
His younger brother Elliott pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm/wounding with intent (Section 18 assault) and was jailed for seven and a half years.
He was also given an additional two years in jail for an unrelated drugs offence.
Det Insp Gareth Willis, of Blackpool CID, said: “This was an extremely serious incident which but for the intervention of medical staff would have resulted in a fatality.
“One person has been left with life-changing injuries, including the amputation of part of his right leg.
“More than 2,000 people attended this event and we are extremely grateful to witnesses who came forward to assist in the successful prosecution of these offenders.
“I would also like to make special mention of the security staff at the event who were directly involved in the apprehension of the offenders as they attempted to leave the scene.
“We appreciate and understand the majority of people want to enjoy themselves at music festivals and do so in a responsible and appropriate manner.
“However, there was no excuse for the deplorable actions of either man and we welcome today’s judgments which should serve as a warning to others.”
Main image: Elliott Sandlan (left), Luke Sandlan (right) © Lancashire Police
