Weapon wielding thugs have been jailed for more than 15 years after assaulting a man who a woman falsely claimed had sexually assaulted her.

Steven Wilson, 29, of Thoroughgood Road, Clacton, Amadu Gbla, 34, of Trafalgar Road, Clacton, and Angela Holland, 41, of no fixed address, argued with each other during the sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday.

Gbla had previously admitted aggravated burglary and theft at Marine Parade East, Clacton on December 8 last year.

Wilson and Holland were also charged with the two counts by joint enterprise, but did not enter pleas, and were found guilty by a jury earlier this year.

In his sentencing, Judge Christopher Morgan told the court that Holland had regularly visited the victim of the crime at his home address, where he had paid her for sexual activity.

On the date in question, Holland had gone to the address, but no sexual activity occurred. She then went and met with the other two defendants and falsely claimed he had sexually assaulted her.

Wilson and Gbla had both encouraged her to seek justice, and she, after taking drugs, had led them to the victim's address, with the intention of accusing him of sexual assault and prising money from him.

Wilson and Gbla took a sledgehammer and an axe, which they assaulted the victim with whilst Holland remained outside.

Mitigation for Gbla said he “bitterly regrets” the assault, with mitigation for Holland stating that “if she had been of a sober mind on the day, she would not be here now”.

Mitigating for Wilson, Christopher Kerr said: “Whilst in custody, Mr Wilson was stabbed 16 times by an inmate convicted of murder. One of the stab wounds damaged his spinal cord, meaning he can now hardly walk. This attack served the defendant with more severe injuries than those he inflicted on his victim.”

Gbla was handed six years jail time for aggravated burglary and six months for theft, to run concurrently. Wilson received six and a half years, and Holland four years.