TWO Wellington men have been spared jail by a judge despite breaking a man’s nose in two places and inflicting a fractured eye socket when they beat him up.

The judge told them both they needed to ‘man up’ and accept what they had done to their victim.

Anthony Holland, 46, from Priory, and Jason Powell, 45, from Normandy Row, both admitted inflicting serious injuries on their victim on November 14, 2016.

Prosecuting, William Hunter said the victim had been drinking at the Vintage Inn and got into a minor altercation with the two men.

He left the pub and had been walking along the High Street when he was pushed hard in the back. When he turned around, he was punched in the face.

“He tried to push the attackers away but he was hit again and fell to the floor,” Mr Hunter told Taunton Crown Court.

“He curled up on the floor and was kicked to the face and the body. They pulled him back to his feet and punched him in the face once again.”

The victim was taken to hospital and treated for a nose that was broken in two places and a fractured eye socket.

“He was unable to detect light from his left eye for a number of days,” Mr Hunter said. “He said he no longer feels safe in Wellington and the attack left him unable to see his children, because he was worried they would be upset by his injuries.”

When arrested by police, both men blamed each other for the attack and the injuries caused.

Defending Powell, Patrick Mason said his client was extremely sorry for his actions but Judge David Evans said things would have reflected better on the pair if they would ‘man-up and admit what they did’.

“He says he’s sorry. His actions were unacceptable,” Mr Mason said.

Defending Holland, Rebecca Bradberry said her client was a hard-working family man, of limited means.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Evans said: “You were two grown men chasing after another and kicking him until the bones in his face were broken.

“You may have pleaded guilty but both of you have tried to wriggle out of how badly you behaved by blaming each other.

“This incident was in no doubt prompted in part by the amount of alcohol you had on board.

“I have been told you, Holland, are a hard-working family man and sending you to prison would simply make society poorer.

“Powell, you have domestic challenges, but you are also a hard-working family man.”

He sentenced them both to two years in prison, suspended for two years, giving Holland a four-month curfew between 9pm and 6am and 15 days of rehabilitation activity.

Powell was also sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activities.

Both men were ordered to pay £250 compensation to the victim.