Two brothers who attacked a neighbour in a row over a parking space have been spared jail.

Joe and Sam Cooper left Robert Willis with cuts, bruises and black eyes when they attacked him in his partner's home at The Chestnuts, Sayers Common, Haywards Heath.

The brothers, aged 24 and 23, lost their temper with Mr Willis following a long-running dispute about parking in the close.

They demanded Mr Willis remove his partner's car, which was due to be taken away to a scrap yard the following day, because it was taking up too much space in the road. Joe Cooper was heard to shout:

"Tell her to move it or I'll smash it up."

Mr Willis, 31, refused and walked into the house. The Coopers followed him inside before launching the vicious attack. Sam Cooper kicked Mr Willis in the back of the neck and held his arms while Joe punched and kicked him up to 20 times in the face.

The brothers denied causing actual bodily harm, claiming Joe was acting in self-defence and Sam was a peacemaker.

But their version of events was rejected by a jury following a trial at Lewes Crown Court and they were convicted of causing actual bodily harm.

Passing sentence yesterday, Recorder Russell said: "This was a vicious and aggravated attack.

"You attacked a neighbour you barely knew over a parking space. You did so in another person's home and perhaps most seriously this took place in the presence of children.

"Being attacked in one's own home is something the public is very worried about."

Mr Willis had to take several weeks off work and told the court he feared a revenge attack. He said Joe Cooper, of Wisden Avenue, Whitehawk, Brighton, also pushed his partner Helen Holman during the attack.

While neither of the brothers had previous convictions, the court heard plasterer Joe Cooper, a father-of-four, was known to turn aggressive and violent when drinking alcohol.

Recorder Russell said greengrocer Sam Cooper, a father-of-two from Birchgrove Crescent, Hollingbury, Brighton, was no less responsible for the attack despite not punching and kicking Mr Willis as much as his brother.

He was ordered to carry out 100 hours of community service.

Joe Cooper was given an 18-month community rehabilitation order.

That will involve him complying with a number of conditions set down by the Probation Service including attending classes for aggression management, literacy and numeracy.

Recorder Russell told him: "Despite what you may think this is not a soft option and if you fail to meet any of the requirements you will be back before this court and you will be sentenced again, which is likely to mean prison."