Two men have been told to pay more than £1,000 in compensation to a man they attacked in Colchester town centre.

A judge at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday described the attack as "sickening" after he saw a video of the incident in the town's High Street in June.

Karl Bowman, 21, started the attack on the man before he was joined by Shaun Kimble, 18, and the court heard how their victim was kicked in the head during the incident.

The man later received treatment by paramedics for injuries which included four damaged teeth.

Bowman, of Harwich Road, and Kimble, of Colchester Road, both Lawford, had been committed to crown court for sentence by Colchester magistrates' after they admitted a joint charge of actual bodily harm.

Judge Peter Dedman told Bowman to do 180 hours community service while Kimble received 100 hours. The judge also told them to pay £750 compensation each to their victim and costs of £185 each.

The court heard the incident took place as the victim was waiting for friends near the Hippodrome nightclub on June 24 this year.

He was approached by Bowman who hit him before Kimble joined in, Valerie Charbit, prosecuting said.

Samantha Leigh, mitigating for Bowman, said he regretted the incident and had leared his lesson. There was no chance of Bowman, a partner in a landscape business, appearing in court again.

Kimble's counsel, Matthew Gowan, said he accepted his behaviour had been disgraceful and it would not happen again. Kimble was highly regarded by those who know him, Mr Gowan said.

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