A VICTIM said his eyes were left swollen shut after he was kicked and punched in the head during a "deplorable and drink-fuelled" attack launched by three men.

Joseph Chippington, 25, and Jay-Louis Eggerichs, 24, were two of three attackers who beat a man in Dovercourt, on December 16 last year.

Colchester Magistrates' Court heard the pair had been out drinking with the victim throughout the afternoon, before things turned nasty at around 11pm.

The court was told the victim is alleged to have hit Chippington before running away.

The two defendants and a third man gave chase and assaulted the victim, who managed to briefly escape.

But he was attacked again in Fryatt Avenue, taking him to the ground before launching punches and kicks.

Chippington, of Ashley Road, Dovercourt, and Eggerichs, of Main Road, Dovercourt, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

 

A third man faces a crown court trial over the incident.

Gareth Hunter, prosecuting, said: "On the CCTV you can hear them shouting, all three are very aggressive in their behaviour."

In a statement, the victim said: "At the time of the incident I did not want to go out due to the way my face looked.

"I did not see my daughter for two weeks as I was worried about how she would feel seeing me.

"The incident was just before Christmas and impacted on me going out to see family and friends. I felt stressed after and struggled to go to sleep.

"I had bruising to both eyes, it was swollen around eye sockets and for a couple of days I could not open them and see properly.

"Now I have a scar above left eyebrow, where it was split open at the time."

Raph Pigott, mitigating for Chippington, said the incident was "completely unacceptable and deplorable".

But he said the attack was "drink-fuelled" and out of character for his client.

Mr Piggot said Chippington had been punched by the victim in the build-up to the attack, with the rest of the evening "a blur" to him.

He said: "Does that justify what happened afterwards? No, of course it doesn't, it was absolutely deplorable."

Elizabeth Bradshaw, mitigating for Eggerichs, said: "He is a young man of previous good character, with absolutely nothing whatsoever on his record.

"He is incredibly regretful and remorseful to come before the court today."

She said her client provided positive character references.

Magistrates said the attack was "prolonged and persistent", with the victim suffering "horrific" injuries.

They deemed their sentencing powers insufficient and sent the case to Chelmsford Crown Court for sentence on September 15.