Bebington man beaten by thugs for his car

Apr 1 2009 Bromborough and Bebington News

A YOUNG woman has relived the terrifying moments when four thugs set upon her Royal Marine boyfriend.

Lyndsey Halligan was so scared she locked herself in the bathroom of her home as the masked men beat their victim with a spiked crowbar and hammer.

The 37-year-old former soldier, who asked to remain nameless because of his work, was returning from Heswall in his Audi S3 at around 8pm last Wednesday, accompanied by Lyndsey, 32, when he became suspicious of a following Mercedes.

The couple passed their Wellington Road home, Bebington, but as they returned noticed two hooded men waiting opposite.

With scarves pulled up to conceal their faces, the youths produced weapons as Lyndsey fled from the vehicle to the door of her home.

She told the News: “One ran after me with a crowbar, as I ran into the house he started bashing the front door.

“I called the police and then they started on my boyfriend.

“He threw the keys into next door’s garden because they wanted the car, but they just started beating him up.”

A BMW appeared, and another two hooded men stepped out armed with similar weapons.

Lyndsey’s boyfriend was then subjected to a sustained assault as he lay on the ground.

She said: “I’ve just never been so frightened in all my life.

“I just ran upstairs and locked myself in the bathroom. He spent three years dodging bullets and then to have that in Bebington.”

As the attackers laid into her boyfriend, raking his legs with the spiked crowbar and narrowly missing his temple with one of their hammer blows, the police arrived.

The offenders were pursued by a police helicopter and squad cars in the direction of Liverpool.

A 23-year-old man, believed to be the driver of the black Mercedes, was arrested on the Liverpool side of the tunnel.

He has since been bailed pending further enquiries.

Call Merseyside Police on 0151 777 2247.