TWO thugs who launched an unprovoked and brutal attack on a passenger while on a train have been handed prison sentences.

Michael Hannan, 28, of Tynwald Road, Blackburn and Matthew Crompton, 28, of Stopes Brow, Blackburn, appeared before Manchester Crown Court on September 28 where they were sentenced.

In March of this year the two men launched an unprovoked attack on a man in his thirties while onboard a train from Manchester to Burnley.

During the journey, both defendants walked through the carriage and started to pester a teenage boy as well as the victim.

The victim challenged their behaviour towards the boy and he was met with an 'astonishing' level of violence by the two men as they began hitting him multiple times over the head and body.

The man fell to the floor where he was then kicked and punched again, resulting in a number of serious injuries, including a bleed on the brain.

At court, both men admitted charges of occasioning actual bodily harm. Hannan was handed a 12 month imprisonment and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140, Crompton was also ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge and was handed a nine month imprisonment.

DS Mark Haviland from BTP, said: “Thanks to the overwhelming evidence we had against Hannan and Crompton, both defendants were forced to plead guilty to these charges.

“Hannan and Crompton unleashed a brutal and prolonged attack, leaving the victim with a number of long term injuries including a serious bleed on the brain. I am grateful that the judge saw fit to imprison both of them.

“This was an extremely complex enquiry and I would like to thank my team of officers who helped bring these violent individuals before the court.”