Doncaster duo jailed for 'torturing' vulnerable man with knives and iron

The duo punched, stamped on, stabbed and burnt the victim with an iron while robbing his house

Paul Lyons, 47, from Doncaster, has been charged with attempted murder and robbery (South Yorkshire Police)

A man and a woman who "tortured" a vulnerable man in a prolonged attack have been jailed for 25 years each.

Paul Lyons, 47, and Toni Ackerman, 35, from Doncaster, have been charged with attempted murder and robbery at Sheffield Crown Court.

They punched, stamped on, stabbed and burnt the 55-year-old male victim with an iron.

Toni Ackerman, 35, from Doncaster, has been charged with attempted murder and robbery (South Yorkshire Police)

Police were called to his house in Katherine Road, Thurcroft, on Tuesday 27 October, after a friend of the victim found him covered in blood and locked outside the house.

Detective Constable Janelle Dexter-Lowe, the investigating officer, said: “This was a vicious, targeted attack on a vulnerable and defenceless man carried out by two evil individuals."

He added: “Thankfully, attacks like this are rare and the victim is now recovering from the despicable ordeal Lyons and Ackerman put him through.

"I hope that today’s sentence will give him some comfort and contribute to his recovery.”

Lyons and Ackerman each received 16 years for the robbery, which will run alongside the 25 year attempted murder sentence.