Cocaine addicts who subjected businessman to ‘horrendous’ hatchet attack in his home are jailed

Victim encountered man and woman in his hallway when he was struck on the head with a hatchet

March 10, 2025 at 4:11pm GMT

Two crack cocaine addicts who subjected a Co Antrim businessman to a “horrendous” hatchet attack in his home have been jailed.

Judge Philip Gilpin told Paul Patterson and Andrea Wilson they will each spend four years and three months in custody with an identical period on licence.

Patterson (44), of no fixed abode and Wilson (36), of Parkgate Avenue in east Belfast, both previously pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated burglary, theft, false imprisonment, attempted grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

Belfast Crown Court heard the victim was woken around 2am on August 20 2023, by the sound of breaking glass at his home on the Hillhead Road in Ballyclare.

Prosecution barrister Samantha Madden said the victim encountered a man and woman in his hallway when he was struck on the head with a hatchet.

During a struggle he was forced onto the floor and tied up by the burglars with washing line cable.

“They repeatedly kicked and punched him, and whipped him with a three-foot long dog chain until he provided the code for a safe where cash and valuables were kept,” the prosecution counsel submitted.

Keys for high value Aston Martin and Land Rover vehicles were taken from the safe, along with watches and jewellery belonging to his late wife worth up to £15,000.

As Patterson and Wilson emptied the safe of its contents, the victim managed to wriggle free from his ties and escape from the house.

The court heard he ran bare-footed for a quarter of a mile across fields dressed only in his boxer shorts to a neighbouring property to raise the alarm.

Later that morning mother-of-two Wilson went to a nearby property where she ordered a taxi which took her and Patterson to Parkgate Avenue.

Police identified the burglars following inquiries with the cab firm and further research in the area.

They were also positively identified through a VIPER procedure and Patterson’s DNA was found on a discarded balaclava.

The victim told police that Patterson was wearing a balaclava and told him: “We know your wife is dead and you are home alone. We are here for your gold jewellery and cash.”

Patterson was said to have made threats to the victim, stating: “This is your last night on earth.”

The victim was subsequently taken to hospital where he was found to have sustained a black eye, blurred vision, wounds to his head, bruising to his legs and to his back, and he also suffered a “traumatic subdural bleed”.

In a victim impact statement, the businessman said he is still on pain relief medication for his injuries, he has stepped up security at his home and has been left so unsettled by the attack he is even considering selling up his home and business and relocating.

Defence barristers said Patterson and Wilson were both equally culpable for their actions.

Both blamed each other for starting to use crack cocaine and for instigating the burglary.

Patterson’s defence barrister Sean Doherty said: “These are two drug addicts who behaved appallingly. I would describe Mr Patterson as a ‘zombie’ at the time. He had no sense of what he was doing when he arrived at the home. It was all rather chaotic”.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Philip Gilpin said: “Your offending was both dreadful and horrendous.

“There was a gratuitous level of violence which resulted in causing the victim a significant level of harm.”