A Folkestone man, who feared he was going to be attacked by three brothers, called 999 for help.

Police officers arrived at the flat in Cheriton High Street only to find the frightened Thomas Spearpoint unharmed and so they left.

But a judge heard how five minutes later, the brothers, dressed in hoodies and carrying baseball bats, smashed their way inside and laid into their victim, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

Bradley, Oliver and Sebastian Weightman, all from Folkestone, launched their ferocious attack shouting: “We’re going to kill him” and “You’re dead!”

Officers arrived back at the flat at 2.15am to find Mr Spearpoint unconscious with two rib fractures and a cut head but “they were too late and the defendants had left by then," said Prosecutor Don Ramble.

Bradley, 23, of Black Bull Road, has been now been jailed for five years after admitting wounding his former best friend with intent.

Brothers Oliver, 24, also of Black Bull Road and Sebastian, 21, of Cheriton Road each received suspended jail sentences after admitting affray.

Mr Ramble told how the three had smashed their way into the home in July 2014 after a simmering row between the former best friends which had left the Weightman’s feeling aggrieved and wanting revenge.

“Earlier that night Mr Spearpoint had been out with a friend, Jack Savage, drinking in a Wetherspoon pub in Rendezvous Street.

"The three attacked him with a volley of swings to get him to the ground where he was kicked and punched and he then lost consciousness" - prosecutor Don Ramble

“He noticed Sebastian Weightman staring at him and so he and Mr Savage decided to move on to the Onyx Nightclub where he and Weightman started arguing.”

The prosecutor added that Mr Savage got in between the two as Weightman shouted: “Keep him away from me or he’s going to get hurt” before he began grappling with Mr Spearpoint.

After leaving the club, the victim went home but Mr Savage heard the Weightman brothers talking about going to Mr Spearpoint’s home – and he called his friend to warn him.

“The police arrived at Mr Spearpoint’s home at 1.40 am and officers asked him what had happened. Mr Spearpoint explained the circumstances but as no-one had come to the address, the officers left," he added.

The prosecutor told how Mr Spearpoint’s flatmate Brandon Tucker and his girlfriend Natalie were in the kitchen when they heard a huge smash five minutes later.

“Mr Spearpoint ran upstairs and looked behind him and saw Bradley looking furious and armed with a baseball bat.

“He then felt a blow to the back of his head and felt further blows as he tried to protect his head with his hands.

“The three attacked him with a volley of swings to get him to the ground where he was kicked and punched and he then lost consciousness, “ added Mr Ramble.

Oliver and Sebastian Weightman were each given two year jail sentences suspended for two years and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid community work.

The judge, Recorder John Gallagher told them: “Revenge attacks will not be tolerated by the court. By taking the law into your own hands it brings mob rule and that brings lynch rule and that leads to anarchy.

“This was a frightening, cowardly and vicious attack.”