A WOMAN who planned and oversaw a vicious assault has been jailed for nine years.

Nasreen Akhtar, of Spring Street, Accrington was jailed at Preston Crown Court after being found guilty of wounding with intent.

Officers said the 35-year-old was involved in an incident July 23 last year at the rear of her home where a 47-year-old man was subjected to a prolonged assault at the hands of five men.

The court heard it was believed Akhtar had been the ‘ringleader’ of the attack, not only organising it but watching it from beginning to end.

In the weeks before the attack, officers said Akhtar and the victim had been communicating by text message, which the victim believed was the start of a relationship.

However, on July 22nd Akhtar asked the victim to cease contact.

The court was told it was thought she had become unhappy with the content of their communications.

However, the following day Akhtar claimed to have had a change of heart and invited him round to her house. When the victim attended her home he was set upon in the yard at the back of the property by five unknown men, police said.

As a result of the assault, which went on for around 10 minutes, the victim suffered a fractured left cheek, which now requires a metal plate, a dislocated left elbow, a broken nose and several broken teeth. He was in Royal Blackburn Hospital for a week afterwards.

An investigation was launched and Akhtar was arrested the day after the attack.

Officers said the men who carried out the attack have never been located.

DC Lee Richardson said: “This was a vicious and entirely unprovoked assault carried out against an innocent man, masterminded by someone he simply made the mistake of trusting.

“I am pleased the courts have taken this incident as seriously as we did and have seen fit to hand Akhtar a significant sentence.

"I hope she uses her time in prison to reflect on the consequences of her actions.

“I also hope the sentencing brings some comfort to the victim and enables him to move forward with his life.

"He not only suffered terrible injuries, but was later forced to go through the ordeal of a trial, and he has conducted himself with immense courage.

“We have never located the men who carried out the attack and would continue to urge anybody who knows who they are to contact us online, or via 101, quoting crime reference ED1611061.”