A father and son who acted "in an appallingly violent manner" have been jailed after their victim was struck with a wine glass and stabbed with a fork.

The attack on Gary Tween, the father of a police officer, happened at the Shamrat Indian restaurant in Maidstone.

The Goodalls turned on their victim when he challenged a four-letter tirade at a nearby table at the restaurant in Lower Stone Street in March two years ago.

Proud dad Mr Tween heard another diner shouting that "all police are a bunch of ****s".

He told Maidstone Crown Court that the man said: "They (the police) were all in it together...they were all ******* each other. He was repeating the same things over and over.

"I found it offensive...also my son is a police officer who I am very proud of."

After an eight-day trial, a jury convicted Nigel Goodall, 68, of Medway Meadows, East Peckham and son Ben, 44, of Kent Road, Snodland, of wounding with intent.

On Friday, each was jailed for three years and eight months.

The judge Recorder Oliver Saxby QC told them: "I accept you regret what happened and the devastating impact it has had on you."

Prosecutor Richard Job had said: "The Goodalls were with a friend, Paul Stone, who possibly had been drinking that evening and he was very loud and was making scurrilous and insulting comments about the police for some 10 minutes."

He said Mr Tween and friend were a few feet away and could hear what Mr Stone was saying.

"Gary Tween's son happened to be a police officer and took offence at the comments. He approached Mr Stone's table and asked him to keep it down and to lower his voice.

"Mr Stone was immediately apologetic. He offered to pay for Mr Tween's meal but the Goodalls objected to the fact their conversation had been heard and became aggressive and antagonistic and appeared to want to fight him," he claimed.

The jury heard that the restaurant's manager then intervened and invited Mr Tween and Mr Valence to finish their drinks at the front of the restaurant.

As Mr Tween put on his jacket he was attacked by the two defendants.

"Ben launched himself towards Mr Tween and punched him in the face. At almost the same moment, Nigel Goodall, having picked up a fork in the restaurant, used it to repeatedly stab Mr Tweed in the back of his head," he alleged.

The court heard how Mr Tween fought back and threw punches as the father and son continued their attack.

Commenting on the sentencing, investigating officer PC Lily Mackay said: "This was an unprovoked assault on a man who had merely asked these fellow customers to stop their offensive language.

"The attack happened very suddenly and, while the victim managed to defend himself to some extent, he suffered deep cuts to his head.

"These men have acted in an appallingly violent manner and a prison sentence is entirely appropriate in these circumstances."