A PAIR of thugs will be behind bars for longer after having their sentences increased for brutally attacking a gay couple.

Gage Vye-Parminter and Matthew Howes hurled abuse at Dain Finney and James Loxton as they followed them along Brighton seafront on May 2.

The couple, who were walking home from a night out, ignored the heckling but the heavily drunk Crawley pair became violent. The kicking and punching only stopped when a passerby intervened.

Mr Finney, 22, suffered fractured eye sockets and cheekbones as well as a broken nose after being knocked out and falling to the floor unconscious. Mr Loxton, 24, was also left with cuts and bruises.

Vye-Parminter, of Breydon Walk, and Howes, of Weald Drive, who are now both 19, admitted assault and committing grievous bodily harm. In January they were each sentenced to five years and four months in a young offenders’ institute and told to pay a £170 surcharge.

But their sentences have now been increased to seven years in jail after a judgment in the Court of Appeal this morning.

Solicitor general Robert Buckland – the Government’s second most senior legal officer – brought the case because he felt the sentence was “unduly lenient” and did not sufficiently reflect the homophobic motivation behind the attack.

He told the court: “The recorder [handing out the sentence] fell into error in that respect. The sentence failed to reflect the homophobic motivation of the attack. With a homophobic motivation as serious as this [there should be] a significant increase in sentence to reflect public concern of hate crime and to protect victims and members of society.

“The sentences [as they stand] can give no comfort that the seriousness of the case was offered significant weight.”

Click here to read more of what he said about the attack. 

The Argus: Dain Louis and James Loxton, victims of a homophobic attack in Brighton.Dain Louis and James Loxton, victims of a homophobic attack in Brighton. Dain Louis and James Loxton, victims of a homophobic attack in Brighton

Police officers on patrol were flagged down by a taxi driver who told them of the attack near the Queen’s Hotel, King’s Road, at about 5am.

The victims were taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital for treatment while Vye-Parminter and Howes were arrested at the scene and taken to custody for questioning, Brighton Crown Court heard.

They spoke out to raise awareness of homophobia even in places like Brighton and Hove.

Mr Finney said he feared he may never be able to see again when he spoke to The Argus at the time of the attack.

The 22-year-old said: "We just ignored [the slurs] and kept our heads down. The next thing we knew we were both knocked to the floor and were being kicked in the face. I blacked out and woke up in hospital. My eye socket was shattered and my eye filled up with blood. Even the police said they were so shocked. We were so overwhelmed by everyone's support. But it has shaken me. I became really anxious just being around other people, but I don't want to let this stop me living my life."