A GROUP of men were attacked and run over by a car after attempting to steal cannabis from a grow in Southend.

Constatin Ozansoy, 28, of Chingford Road, Walthamstow, and Nicholas Manueno, 19, of Cranberry Road, Canning Town, along with two other men travelled from London to Southend on October 11 last year to steal the drugs from an address in York Road.

The defendants were confronted by the owners of the grow, forcing them to flee by breaking into an unrelated victim’s home.

After they fled the property, the cannabis owners chased them in a car and Manueno was run over and stabbed with Ozansoy also assaulted.

The pair appeared in Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, September 21, for sentencing

Nick Mather, prosecuting, said: “The group gained access to the York Road address through a side door with the flat containing cannabis worth around £75,000.

“An occupant alerted the cannabis owners who turned up to the address where they confronted the defendants.

“The defendants attempted to escape by banging and kicking the door of an unrelated victim, who let them in out of fear."

The group exited the victim’s flat through a window and were chased.

Ozansoy later told police he had been knocked out and called officers when he regained consciousness.

Manueno was run over which resulted in a broken leg, he was also stabbed.

In hospital he was found with cocaine wraps and his phone was seized.

A search of his address found heroin and crack cocaine worth £500 in a shoebox under his bed.

Khurram Raif, mitigating for Osanzoy, said: “Mr Ozansoy has already spent 340 days in custody.

“He has used his time well in prison, working in the recycling unit for five months and he has taken maths and English courses whilst testing negative for drugs.”

Natalie Bird, mitigating for Manueno, said: “Mr Manueno had built up a cannabis debt at college and was told to hold drugs and a phone by others higher in the chain.

“Mr Manueno is also relied upon to care for his four youngers siblings and his family has struggled financially during his time in custody.”

Ozansoy was sentenced to eight months for affray but will be released immediately on time served.

Manueno was jailed for 30 months for affray and two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.