Six men have been jailed for their parts in a serious assault on a Lincolnshire man.
Robert King, 20, from Fulstow, suffered serious head injuries in the attack on Eastgate in Louth in the early hours of 29 July 2007.
Mr King was in a critical condition and unconscious for 12 days and is still suffering medical complications.
The six men, all aged between 20 and 23 and from Louth, were jailed at Lincoln Crown Court.
They all pleaded guilty to various offences.
'Agonising' time
Mr King, a carpenter, was on his way home after a night out with friends when he was punched in the head and attacked.
He still suffers from double vision and is unable to drive. He has not yet returned to work.
His mother, Jane King, said: "No-one can be prepared for the pain and trauma this sort of experience throws at you and our hearts go out to those who have lost a loved one in similar circumstances.
"We stayed by Robert's side for 12 agonising days, not knowing if he was strong enough to survive but willing him to fight."
"CCTV footage shows is that what started off as an exchange of words quickly escalated into an explosion of violence"Passing sentence, Judge Richard O'Rorke said: "At the end of the day, a man has been very seriously injured.
"It will be a very long time before he recovers fully and the whole family has been put through the most terrible time.
"What the CCTV footage shows is that what started off as an exchange of words quickly escalated into an explosion of violence.
"The message must go out that if you go drinking and go into a public street looking for trouble, then this is the sort of thing that happens and the unforeseen result is that serious injury can occur."
Actual bodily harm
Shane Billinger, aged 21 and from Bradley Close in Louth and 23-year-old Dean Christopher Speight of Eastgate in Louth, were both given two-year sentences for affray and assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.
Steven Nigel Goy, aged 22, of Harewood Crescent, Louth, was given nine months for affray, causing actual bodily harm and common assault.
Nicholas David Cullingford, aged 20, of Queensway in Louth, was given six months for affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Daniel David Kilmore, aged 20, of Linden Walk, Louth, was given nine months for affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Robert MacIntyre McSpadden, 22, of Jubilee Crescent, Louth, was given six months for affray and common assault.
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