A PAIR of drug dealing brothers were jailed for a combined 27 years after they ran over and stabbed two teenagers in a botched cannabis raid in Southend. 

Aurel and Xheni Ukcenaj, 32 and 27, of Marischal Road, Lewisham, and Chase Side, Enfield, were charged with GBH and conspiracy to produce a controlled drug of Class B (cannabis).

Their charges involve an incident on October 11 last year as a group of men travelled from London to York Road, Southend, intending to steal from a cannabis farm valued at £75,000.

As the group arrived, the brothers' cousin Elton Vata, 38, of West Road, Westcliff, called them at 4.55am to inform them of the situation.

The group eventually fled the scene and the brothers chased them down in cars with Aurel running two of the men over and stabbing one, causing serious injury.

The Ukcenaj brothers and Vata appeared in Basildon Crown Court on November 10 for sentencing.

Alan Compton KC, prosecuting, said: “What happened after the men fled the flats was brutal as they ran down the pavement.

“Xheni Ukcenaj gunned his car at speed and pursued them whilst driving on the pavement.

“One man was some distance ahead but two others were behind him running alongside each other.”

The final man was running behind and ducked into a side road whilst Xheni continued to chase the other men.

As he continued the two men darted between two parked cars on the road as Xheni’s car got stuck between the road and a bollard.

Aurel continued to chase the men in the same direction as his brother but one man had fallen in the middle of the road.

Mr Compton added: “The Focus ran right over one victim and struck another carrying him further before depositing him on the road.

“As that man tried to run away, Aurel Ukcenaj pulled up left his car and pursued him, he stabbed him twice in the leg and once in his back as he lay on the floor.”

The first victim suffered blunt force trauma, internal bleeding and spent 53 days on life support, having part of his lung removed.

The second victim suffered a fractured shoulder blade, broken femur and puncture wounds to his leg and back.

Sarah Vine KC, mitigating for Aurel Ukcenaj, said:

He said: “Our submission remains he did not intend to put the victim in hospital with an injury so serious.

“His remorse is clear as is his sense of responsibility not just towards the victims but to his younger brother.

“Mr Ukcenaj’s time spent serving his country shows just out of character this was.”

Mark Stevens, mitigating for Xheni Ukcenaj, said: “My client says it was never his intention to seriously hospitalise the two men.

“When reversing his car, he did not get out and go towards the victims to further assault them.

“He has worked all his life and was studying at university but had to leave because of the ill health of his parents.”

Harry Bentley, mitigating for Elton Vata, said: “My client has a significant fear of returning to Albania.

“In 2013 he was seriously assaulted and suffered a catastrophic injury to the skull which has not fully healed.

“He will suffer symptoms for the rest of his life and has not seen his children in ten years.”

Her Honour Judge Samantha Leigh sentenced Aurel and Xheni Uckenaj to 12 and 15 years respectively for section 18 GBH count three and four and five years for count four section 18 GBH.

Both were sentenced to three years for conspiracy to produce a controlled drug of Class B (cannabis), all charges are concurrent meaning Aurel received 12 years and Xheni 15 years.

Elton Vata was sentenced to 26 months for conspiracy to produce a controlled drug of Class B (cannabis) and will be deported after his sentence