A court was told they set up an ambush for cerebral palsy sufferer Damien Shepherd before jumping out and subjecting him to a brutal attack.

It left left him in intensive care with a fractured skull and eye socket and a "massive gash" across his face.

The jury heard the shocking allegations as Andrew Law, 18, of Bedford Street, Todmorden, stood trial over his alleged part in the night-time assault in Burnley Road, Cornholme, Todmorden, on April 30.

Co-accused Jonathan Jackson, 18, of Robinwood Terrace, Todmorden, and Andrew Gorton, 21, of Burnley Road, Portsmouth, Todmorden, have pleaded guilty to GBH with intent.

The three have also admitted a near carbon-copy attack on another man, Thomas Croft, 25, of Todmorden, at the same spot just a week earlier.

Nadir Bashir, prosecuting, told Bradford Crown Court: "They parked their car and ambushed Mr Shepherd who was completely unaware.

"Law and Gorton approached him and Law punched him in the face.

"He staggered backwards before being pushed to the ground in the middle of the road.

"The two men then dragged him by the shoulders out of sight to where Jackson was waiting and subjected him to a violent and brutal assault."

Aimee Moss, who lives opposite the scene of the attack, at the junction of Knotts Road near the Staff of Life pub, told the jury she witnessed Mr Shepherd being ambushed and attacked.

She later found him outside lying in a pool of blood and struggling to breathe.

Mrs Moss and fellow neighbours fetched pillows and blankets for Mr Shepherd, who is well-known locally, before an ambulance and the police arrived.

Law admitted spending an evening drinking with Jackson and Gorton before going for a drive shortly before midnight after "deciding they wanted to hit someone". Adrian Strong, for Law, said he accepted he threw the first punch, but claims he then ran off before returning to try to drag the other two away.

John Greenwood, a tiler, who works with Law, told the court how he advised Law to turn himself in to police after he learnt of the attack
during a cigarette break the next day.

Mr Greenwood told the jury: "He was a young lad influenced by other people and easily led."

• Proceeding