Man sentenced to 11 years for “barbaric and depraved” Ballymena kidnapping and assault

A man involved in a vicious kidnapping and assault in Ballymena has today been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

David Coleman, aged 39, appeared before Belfast Crown Court on Thursday and was sentenced for his role in the horrifying ordeal that took place in October 2021.

He had previously pleaded guilty to charges of grievous bodily harm with intent and kidnapping.

The brutal attack occurred on 11 October 2021 at a property in Ballymena. According to police, the level of violence inflicted upon the victim was extreme.

David Coleman

Detective Inspector McCoy, commenting on the case, said:

“The attack took place in a house in Ballymena on 11 October 2021, and the level of violence inflicted is shocking.

“The defenceless victim was viciously beaten, stabbed in the chest with a knife and sliced on both sides of his face. Throughout the nightmarish attack, he was kicked and continually forced to wipe up the blood. Meanwhile, the defendants laughed.”

After the savage assault, the victim was transported in a car and dumped in a field near Broughshane, where he was later found unconscious.

Detective Inspector McCoy continued:

“This man, somehow, survived. His journey, however, has been traumatic and for the first number of weeks he remained in intensive care under sedation.

“Injuries included a stab wound to his chest, fracture and detachment of the jaw, injuries to his face and mouth, and a fracture to the base of the skull. He has in fact sustained a permanent brain injury.”

The victim’s ordeal has left profound physical and emotional scars, with the attack described by the detective as both “barbaric and depraved.”

Coleman’s sentencing follows that of four other men — David Cherry, Glen Sheridan, Mark Bradshaw, and Sean Davies — who were jailed in May 2024 for their roles in the same incident.

Detective Inspector McCoy concluded:

“Today, with the support of colleagues in the Public Prosecution Service, David Coleman has been held accountable for his actions. This, however, was a barbaric and depraved attack, which has left lasting scars. My thoughts are with the victim and his family, who have all suffered terribly.”

The sentencing brings a partial close to a case that has shocked the local community and drawn condemnation from law enforcement officials across Northern Ireland.