Stephens, Gatehouse and Sidhu appeared at Maidstone Crown Court

by Keith Hunt

Three thugs have been put behind bars for a vicious knife attack on a Lithuanian man in a street at night.

Jason Stephens and Jack Gatehouse, who were already serving three years for wounding with intent, were each locked up for two-and-a-half years. Jagdiesh Sidhu was sentenced to two years youth custody.

Judge Martin Joy had previously told the three that a substantial sentence would be passed for the "sickening and gratuitous violence on a completely defenceless man."

Stephens, 21, of no fixed address, Gatehouse, 20, of Freeman Road, Gravesend, and Sidhu, 19, of Kitchener Avenue, Gravesend, were convicted of unlawful wounding in July.

They were acquitted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily. They denied both charges.

Victim Vaidas Jankauskas was walking home after a night out when he was attacked in an alleyway in Havelock Road, Northfleet, on April 18 last year.

He could only remember waking up in hospital, prosecutor Martin Yale told Maidstone Crown Court.

He was found on the ground groaning by an off-duty police officer.

Mr Jankauskas, who came to the UK two years ago, suffered multiple stab wounds to his back and left arm and bruising to the front of his brain.

Stephens, formerly of Gunn Road, Swanscombe, was arrested after a chase by police down an alleyway.

He had a cut to his thumb which a forensic pathologist concluded could have been caused by a knife slipping in his hand.

Sidhu was arrested six days after the attack following the discovery of an online conversation.

He wrote: "He turned on me and Scott flocked him. I started booting him. Jason then stabbed him four times and we all caved his head in. Even if I didn’t stab him, everyone will get life."

Passing sentence, Judge Joy said: "It was sickening violence because it was completely and utterly unnecessary. It was substantial violence because a knife was used."