A gang has been convicted of chasing, catching and beating a housing estate rival into a coma.

The mayhem followed a summer of violence on The Nightingales in Newbury which forced police to impose a rare, emergency Section 60 order giving them enhanced powers to keep order.

The victim, Lisa Cross, only escaped potential decapitation because, a court heard, another, balaclava-clad attacker happened to pull her head back - exposing her neck but narrowly causing the blade to miss.

At the time, Cathy Oliver, prosecuting, told Reading Crown Court: “There’s a long history to this matter.”

It began, she said, when police raided Ms Cross’ home on the estate and seized a drugs haul.

She explained that Brown had given them to Ms Cross’ 15-year-old son to sell for him but that, following the raid, Brown held her family responsible for his financial loss.

This month, jurors at the same court heard how Brown was himself attacked.

Brown suffered a shattered cranium, broken hand and bleeding on the brain at the base of the skull.

He survived but had to endure invasive brain surgery and spent seven days in a medically induced coma, the jury heard.

In the dock were Jake Bozarth, Dwayne Toussaint and Jake Blandford.

All three, from the estate and all aged 18 and 19, were convicted on Monday (November 25), of causing Brown grievous bodily harm with intent, violent disorder and of possessing offensive weapons in the form of baseball bats or metal poles.