TWO violent thugs have been jailed for 18 years between them after they left their victim with serious brain damage in a horrific attack.Scott Warren and Richard Smith were both sentenced to nine years behind bars after admitting wounding with intent when they punched and stamped on 48-year-old David Coleman in a car park near the Ipswich Town Football ground in Portman Road.

TWO violent thugs have been jailed for 18 years between them after they left their victim with serious brain damage in a horrific attack.

Scott Warren and Richard Smith were both sentenced to nine years behind bars after admitting wounding with intent when they punched and stamped on 48-year-old David Coleman in a car park near the Ipswich Town Football ground in Portman Road.

Warren, 19, of Berners Street, Ipswich, had previously been in a relationship with Mr Coleman, and when he failed to win him back he plotted the attack, which judge Roderick Newton yesterday described as “verging on sadistic”.

Smith, 23, of Furness close, Ipswich, joined Warren in the beating which went on for at least two minutes before the pair left Mr Coleman for dead, returning only to steal from his wallet.

Mr Coleman was left in a coma after the assault on March 8 and he now lives in sheltered accommodation. Doctors fear he will be left with permanent brain damage.

When sentencing the duo at Ipswich Crown Court judge Netwon said: “It was a sustained, savage and brutal attack on Mr Coleman.

“I am satisfied that the plan was hatched in order to harm David Coleman and to take him to a secluded spot which we know had little or no protection.

“The consequences for David Coleman have been catastrophic. By your despicable actions he has had his life taken away from him.”

Giving evidence for the prosecution during the trial of a 16-year-old who was cleared of wounding Mr Coleman, Smith claimed that Warrren had told him that Mr Coleman, who was a homosexual, had tried to rape him.

He alleged Warren said that he and the teenager were going to beat him up and asked Smith to help them.

Yesterday Andrew Shaw, mitigating for Smith, said: “I understand he has expressed remorse and regret.”

While Simon Spence, mitigating for Warren, added: “This, albeit it a very serious incident, was a one-off.”

Judge Newton said he gave both men credit for their guilty pleas and sentenced them to nine years each.

n. What do you think of the sentence? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk