Two Windham men who were already facing charges for an attempted robbery in June were arrested again for assaulting a Salem man the night before they were to appear in court on their previous charges.

Salem police arrested Thomas Winward, 17, and Shawn Mahoney, 18, both of Windham, and charged both with simple assault and drug possession on the evening of Monday, July 7, after they allegedly entered the Salem apartment of Nick Pettiford and attacked him.

According to Salem police Capt. Shawn Patten, Pettiford’s girlfriend was at the apartment when Mahoney and Winward showed up at the apartment to confront Pettiford about some guns and a video game they believed Pettiford stole from Winward’s home.

Winward and Mahoney allegedly attacked Pettiford while inside the apartment, at which point Pettiford’s girlfriend reported the incident to police.

“When the girlfriend called police, the two suspects fled. (Pettiford) went after them and got a bat from his car,” Patten said.

When police arrived, Patten said, Pettiford was swinging a bat at Winward and Mahoney but did not land any blows. Pettiford suffered minor injuries to his face and head area in the attack. Neither Mahoney nor Winward was injured.

Both Winward and Mahoney were carrying about an ounce of marijuana each, Patten said, and were also charged with possession.

No charges are being filed against Pettiford at this point, said Patten, adding an investigation into the claims that Pettiford had stolen guns and a video game from Winward has turned up nothing.

Winward and Mahoney were two parts of a trio of midnight prowlers who were arrested when they tried to break into a Pelham Road home on Sunday, June 1. Daniel Smith, 19, of Salem rounded out the band of would-be bandits.

Despite the July 7 arrest, both Mahoney and Winward appeared in Salem District Court July 8 for probable cause hearings for the attempted robbery and to be arraigned on the new charges. Smith waived his probable cause hearing.

The Pelham Road incident resulted in charges of criminal trespassing, criminal mischief, prowling, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of alcohol.

During that arrest, all three suspects were extremely uncooperative and combative with arresting officers, Patten said. One officer was actually injured in the process of trying to subdue the three men, sustaining a knee injury that sent him to Parkland Medical Center for treatment. Officers had to Taser Mahoney at the time because of his out-of-control resistance, Patten said.

By the end of their day in court, probable cause was found to prosecute both Winward and Mahoney for their alleged roles in the attempted burglary. Bail was set for the new charges at $10,000 cash or surety for both Winward and Mahoney. They will appear next in court on Wednesday, Aug. 20, for their trial on the new charges.