A GANG who "mercilessly" attacked a young father leaving him severely brain damaged after a row over kebab shop chips has been jailed.

Zak Dangerfield, John Panice, and Stephen Luck, all of Bexhill, and Thomas Unwin, of Ripley, Derbyshire, repeatedly kicked Alfie Peak in the head and left him lying in the street in the early hours.

Friendly exchanges suddenly turned into a fight in the street after a row over chips which Mr Peak was not involved in.The four denied all knowledge of the attack but all were found guilty by a jury of committing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Judge Jeremy Gold, sentencing at Hove Crown Court, said: "As none of you have been prepared to give a truthful account of what happened that night I find you equally culpable," handing Panice, Unwin and Luck 14 years each in jail.

Judge Gold added: "It was clear from CCTV he [Alfie] was very drunk and totally incapable of defending himself. It was a brutal act where he was mercilessly kicked and punched which continued well after he was unconscious. It was thoughtless, cruel and completely unnecessary. He was a fit young man and his life has changed beyond recognition."

Luck, 27, of Kinscott Close, had a history of dishonesty and consumption of excessive alcohol, Panice, 26, of Wartling Drove, had a past telling a story of crimes of disorder and driving offences while Unwin, 25, of High Street, Ripley, also had previous convictions for criminal damage.

Dangerfield, 25, of Preston Road, was handed a 13 year sentence because he was deemed to be of previously good character. They will serve half their sentences in custody.

Tanya White, the partner of Alfie Peak who is now 28, told The Argus afterwards: "Alfie wanted them to get life. I couldn't agree more with that. We are relieved they are just locked up and away from us.

"Alfie will never get to do the things he used to do like boxing or swimming or cooking dinner. It has condemned him to a life sentence in his own body.

Summa, his 12-year-old daughter, said: "It's very unfair knowing my dad did nothing wrong to be like this."

Aimee Phillimore, the partner of Dangerfield, said his conviction over the attack on July 27, 2013, would be contested, adding: "Zak never touched Alfie. He is an innocent man."

HE CANNOT TALK, STAND, SING OR PLAY WITH HIS CHILDREN

WHAT began as a pub catch up with a friend quickly became the night in which a brutal attack changed Alfie Peak’s life for ever.

He had been drinking in the Devonshire Pub in Bexhill on Friday, July 26, with Luke Jones. It was here they first came across Zack Dangerfield, Thomas Unwin, John Panice, and Steven Luck.

The atmosphere was described as “perfectly friendly” and no one could have predicted what happened next, Hove Crown Court heard yesterday.

Mr Peak and Mr Jones left the pub at about 2am on Saturday and went to get food in the USA Fried Chicken takeaway in Sea Road. The group followed a few minutes later but then a “very minor” dispute between Unwin and staff over chips saw the atmosphere turn sour.

Mr Jones tried to calm the situation and spoke in support of the staff but Unwin approached him.

Mr Jones picked up a bottle and made threats, the court head, although it was quickly taken away from him. He and Mr Peak left the kebab shop but the four followed and a fight broke out.

Despite saying and doing nothing to provoke them, the group preyed on Mr Peak, kicking and punching him to the ground and repeatedly in the head, even after he was unconscious.

The four fled, leaving him with “catastrophic” life changing injuries and so severely brain damaged that he cannot walk or speak.

Dangerfield and Unwin even returned to “gloat” at what they had done to the “astonishment” of members of the public who had rushed to Mr Peak’s aid as he lay in the street bleeding heavily before the police arrived at around 2.30am.

Mr Peak’s partner Tanya White said: “I was in bed and there was a knock on the door. I opened it and there was a police officer standing there. Alfie wasn’t home and he said he needed to talk to me – I knew there was something wrong straight away.”

Mr Peak was treated in hospital but nothing could undo the trauma he had endured.

Detectives spoke to witnesses, who said they saw the group of men repeatedly kicking Mr Peak in the head while he lay on the floor. They reviewed CCTV of the kebab shop and charged the four with assault a year later.

During a trial, defence barristers claimed the four were not involved in the attack and did not know what happened to Mr Peak but there was “clear and compelling” evidence to the contrary which saw a jury find them all guilty of the crime.

Hearing the graphic details of the horrific attack in court was “horrible”, Ms White said.

“Before this he was planning to start his own business and training at the gym. Now He cannot walk or stand. He cannot talk, sing or play with his children. He said he doesn’t want to live any more.”

ATTACKERS CONTINUE TO TORMENT WITH CHEERS AFTER THEIR SENTENCING

THUGS who repeatedly kicked a man in the head, even after he was unconscious, continued to torment their brain-damaged victim and his family even as they were taken to prison.

Alfie Peak’s attackers were heard laughing and shouting as they were bundled into the back of a prison van after receiving custodial sentences at Hove Crown Court yesterday.

Three women were seen shouting loudly at the van, all in earshot of Mr Peak and his family, who were distressed by the sequence of events. One of his relatives claimed to have been approached directly and threatened although it was not clear by whom. Police said yesterday they were investigating the allegations.

Mr Peak’s partner Tanya White said: “It is shocking and really sad. They could not care less, they have already done enough.”

Mr Peak’s frustration at their behaviour became apparent as he punched the keyboard he uses to communicate.

His attackers’ unwavering lack of remorse over their actions three years ago was evident during the court hearing when judge Jeremy Gold said none of them told the truth about the attack in Bexhill.

They all claimed they knew nothing of the attack.

This was despite “clear and compelling” CCTV and witness evidence to the contrary which a jury accepted as proof of their alcohol-fuelled row over kebab shop chips before pursuing the innocent Mr Peak into the street in a “cruel and unnecessary” attack.

Neither Zack Dangerfield, Thomas Unwin, John Panice, or Steven Luck showed any emotion as they were sentenced.

The hearing was of little comfort for Mr Peak – who will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair struggling to speak and unable to walk.

His family hoped this would bring an end to a horrific chapter in their lives as they walked from the court room to collect their thoughts in the corridor.

They were thankful for those who had supported them through the case, particularly the “fantastic” work by the police, led by Detective Constable Paul Semple – who was commended for his dedication to the case by the judge. Witness Emma Bailey, who showed “great bravery” in rushing to Mr Peak’s aid in the street in the moments following the attack, was awarded £400 from court funds for her actions.

But there was anguish for the tight-knit family again barely 10 minutes later as bellowing, cheering and laughing was heard coming from the court compound below.

The defendants were getting a send off as they stepped into the prison van.

They smiled, waved and banged the side of the vehicle once inside.

Just an hour earlier their defence barristers were telling the court how mature they had become since the attack, how they were holding down jobs and were dedicated family men -– three of them young fathers and the fourth a father-to-be.