Two men have been jailed for a vicious attack that left an autistic teenager with a fractured neck.

Wayne Butterworth, 50, was sent to prison for 28 months and Chay Hart, 30, for 32 months.

After the attack the heartless thugs then told the victim's mother, "He should have been locked up".

The victim Marshall Bourne, who is now 18, was left so traumatised by the attack, he began self harming.

He told his caring mother Kerry, a nursing assistant, that after cutting himself he wanted "the bad to bleed out".

Now Butterworh, of Greggs Wood Road and Hart, of Colebrook Road, both Tunbridge Wells have been locked up after admitting carrying out the unprovoked and violent attack in January.

Judge Julian Smith told them: "When you were told about the victim's condition you showed no contrition. That is shown by what you said to his mother that she should have kept him locked up."

After the hearing at Maidstone Crown Court, Marshall's father, airline steward Bradley, 40, told how he was left "shocked and heartbroken" by the men's reaction.

He said the teenager's mum was too upset to attend the court to see the pair jailed.

Prosecutor Eleanor Scott-Davies told how how Marshall, who was 17 at the time, had gone for a walk after being encouraged by his mother it would help with his condition.

When he passed Butterworth's home he "verbalised his thoughts" and said: "What are they looking at?"

Butterworth and Hart then threatened him with : "If you say that again you will get a beating."

"I don't think they were genuine I think what they are sorry for was being caught" - Mr Bourne

Marshall continued his walk to the Sherwood Lake but when he returned at about 4.30pm he saw the men again.

This time Butterworth chased after him and ordered him to stop, and Marshall did.

But the thug then threw him to the ground and began punching and kicking him - then Hart arrived and joined in the savage attack.

The court heard how it was only when two women intervened that the beating stopped, leaving Marshall nursing a fracture to his neck, a broken tooth and facial bruises.

Ms Scott-Davies said Marshall needed to wear a support collar for four months after the incident.

Marshall returned home and told his mother and the two then found the thugs and confronted them, telling them that Marshall is autistic.

She was told: "That Marshall should be locked up and not be allowed out because of his autism."

Judge Smith was told that the impact the assault had on him left him withdrawn and wanting to die.

Marshall began self-harming and blamed his autism for the beating and feared if he left his home again he would be attacked.

The judge ordered the men keep away from the victim and his family for eight years - or risk a five year jail term for breaching the order.

Hart has 17 previous convictions for violence including a five year sentence in 2011 for causing grievous bodily harm when he attacked someone with a piece of wood.

His barrister Peter Forbes said: "He described his behaviour as the biggest mistake of his life."

Luke Meyer, for Butterworth claimed that on the day of the incident he had been told his father had been diagnosed with cancer.

"He had no idea that Marshall suffered from autism until Marshall's mother informed him.

"On this particular day he was at a very low ebb."

After the hearing, Mr Bourne, who lives in Tunbridge Wells said he rejected the apologies from the two attackers.

He said: "I don't think they were genuine I think what they are sorry for was being caught."

"Marshall's confidence has been severely knocked by the direct implications of what happened to him.

"He is afraid to go out and thinks the same will happen to him again because he is autistic. As a parent it is heartbreaking.

"The attack was completely unjustified and completely unprovoked. The effect, initially physical, had a severe impact on Marshall but the mental scars that have been left have been ongoing and will be for quite some time.

"It has hit him pretty hard. The legal process understandably takes so long but it hasn't allowed Marshall to reach any closure whatsoever.

Asked about the 'locked up' comments made by the thugs to his ex-wife, Mr Bourne said: "It's infuriating and it's shocking that in this day and age anyone could think that.

"For Marshall it has had far-reaching implications on his mental health."

"I think they were sorry they were caught. I don't think they would have been sorry if they had walked away and got away with it.

"I also have no sympathies for their underlying reasons why they would perpetrate an attack on anyone, let alone my son."

DC Dan Williams of the West Kent vulnerable investigation team said: "Butterworth and Hart were responsible for what was a violent and utterly cowardly assault on a vulnerable and defenceless young man.

"Their actions could easily have caused far greater injury. I have no doubt the psychological impact will also stay with the victim for a very long time and I only hope he will be able to take some reassurance now that justice has now been served."

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