TWO Minehead men are starting jail sen tences after a drunken attack in which their victim had two teeth knocked out, suffered a black eye and temporarily lost his memory.

David Hetherington, 23, of Hawthorn Road, Minehead, and Andrew Scovell, 22, of Selbourne Place, Minehead, who were previ ously convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm after pleading not guilty, were sentenced to two years and 18 months respectively when they appeared at Taunton Crown Court for sentencing on Friday.

Nicholas Brooks, 21, of Hill View, Minehead, who pleaded guilty, was ordered to do 240 hours community punishment.

Brooks, who was serving a community rehabilitation order imposed in February for another offence, was told he could have received 15 months in jail for his part in the violent assault.

Andrew McCutcheon was set upon as he went to stop the men interfering with his motorbike, parked outside his girlfriend's flat in Sycamore Road in the early hours of December 11, 2004.

At an earlier hearing, prosecuting solicitor Nigel Askham said Mr McCutcheon was pulled backwards on to the ground where he lay on his back, restrained by someone standing on both wrists while he was punched and kicked to the head, body and legs.

Judge Graham Hume Jones said the three had set about Mr McCutcheon in a very vio lent way.

Hetherington and Scovell had fought the case and earned no credit for a guilty plea.

At Friday's hearing, all three were said to have been drinking heavily.

Terry Holder, defending Hetherington, said he had never settled in Minehead after his family moved from Newcastle seven years ago. Hetherington had a problem with alcohol and anger management.

Ben Tabiner, for Scovell, said he had been drinking heavily and could not recall the events of the night in detail. Scovell had lost control but was moderating his drinking and had been assessed at low risk to the public.

Mark Whitehall said Brooks had been going through a difficult time, having lost his job. Brooks was drinking too much and suf fering a breakdown in a relationship but felt ashamed of what he did.

Sentencing Hetherington, who had previ ously been sentenced to nine months for a similar offence, the judge warned: "If you go on committing offences, the sentences will get longer and longer."

And he told Brooks: "You should go inside for what you did but I know that much of the good work that's been done with you will be put at risk.

"I am fully aware that if I don't put you inside people will say it's unfair but I am tak ing an exceptional course because you pleaded guilty, a community rehabilitation order is still in force and you are in work."

Brooks was also ordered to pay £300 com pensation to Mr McCutcheon.