Two men have been jailed after they beat a chef so badly that it is feared he will never get his memory back.
Marcus Dawson, 20, and Aaron Warrington, 24, kicked Farhad Ghassemi, 32, in the head so hard that one of their shoes fell off in the attack in Ramsbottom, Lancashire.
A witness to the attack said that at one point they saw one of the offenders take three steps back before kicking at him again.
Chef Farhad Ghassemi had to have two blood clots removed from his brain following the vicious assault
Aaron Warrington (left) and Marcus Dawson (right) were jailed for their parts in the assault in which a witness said they saw one of the attackers stepping back three paces to kick him in the head with extra ferocity
Mr Ghassemi was just yards from Ramsons restaurant in Ramsbottom, near Bury, with his girlfriend's 14-year-old nephew when he met Dawson, Warrington and a group of friends.
They were drunkenly staggering in the road trying to stop cars from driving past them. They banged on Mr Ghassemi's window so he got out of his car to remonstrate with them.
However, he was punched to the ground where he was kicked 'like his head was a football' despite being unconscious on the pavement.
They left him in a pool of blood and he was taken to hospital had two blood clots removed from his brain and suffered a fractured skull. He had to stay there for seven weeks.
Dawson was jailed at Bolton Crown Court today for five years while Warrington received a sentence of three years and four months.
Judge Elliott Knopf said: 'We in the courts are familiar with these acts of mindless violence committed by those who may be drunk or may be acting under the influence of drugs or may be angry or may do it for fun.
Referring to a case of three teenagers who beat a tramp to death for a dare, he added: 'We are reminded of the sentence of the three lads in Liverpool yesterday for their mindless violence which resulted in the death of a man.
'It is only through sheer luck you do not stand before the courts on the offence of manslaughter.
Ramsons restaurant in Ramsbottom, Bury, where Mr Ghassemi worked before the attack. It is not yet known if he will be able to return to work
'The consequences could have been lethal, fortunately that was not the case but you know he has suffered very significantly and will continue to suffer from what was perpetrated by you.'
Judge Knopf added: 'Mr Ghassemi could have remained in his car but there is no reason why he should be criticised.
'He got out of the car seeking to persuade you two to let him go on his way. His reward for showing that courage to make his point which one would expect could happen in a civilised society, was to be punched by you Warrington with such force that you hurt your own fist with the punch and Mr Ghassemi was kicked to the ground.
'It would appear his head struck the pavement and he was rendered unconscious. One would have hoped matters would be left, perhaps you may have sought medical attention but it seems that was not enough because the violence continued.
A judge said Mr Ghassemi should not be criticised for getting out to remonstrate with the pair of yobs
'You Dawson approached Mr Ghassemi when he was not moving on the pavement and kicked his head with such force that your shoe flew off.
'That was done by you and others may have been involved in kicking and punching him as he lay prone on the ground.'
People nearby came to the rescue of Mr Ghassemi and Warrington and Dawson fled the scene.
Dawson went to a bar nearby with one shoe missing and blood on his clothes. He said: 'I've just been in a fight and somebody got in the way. The other guy is worse than me. I'm hiding from the police.'
He later claimed not to remember the attack because he had drunk so much brandy that evening.
Mr Ghassemi has not been able to work since the attack in September last year because of memory loss and his state of mind.
Dawson, from Greenmount, Bury, pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm and Warrington, from Ramsbottom, admitted inflicting GBH.
Detective Constable Dave Looby said: 'This was a completely unprovoked attack on a man who simply wanted to remonstrate with this pair who were being a nuisance.
'There was no reason whatsoever for this to turn to violence, let alone for it to result in him receiving life-threatening injuries. All of this was played out in front of a boy who will be permanently scarred by what happened.
'Both these men now have a long time to reflect on this savage assault.'
Marcus Dawson, 20, and Aaron Warrington, 24, kicked Farhad Ghassemi, 32, in the head so hard that one of their shoes fell off in the attack in Ramsbottom, Lancashire.
A witness to the attack said that at one point they saw one of the offenders take three steps back before kicking at him again.
Chef Farhad Ghassemi had to have two blood clots removed from his brain following the vicious assault
Aaron Warrington (left) and Marcus Dawson (right) were jailed for their parts in the assault in which a witness said they saw one of the attackers stepping back three paces to kick him in the head with extra ferocity
Mr Ghassemi was just yards from Ramsons restaurant in Ramsbottom, near Bury, with his girlfriend's 14-year-old nephew when he met Dawson, Warrington and a group of friends.
They were drunkenly staggering in the road trying to stop cars from driving past them. They banged on Mr Ghassemi's window so he got out of his car to remonstrate with them.
However, he was punched to the ground where he was kicked 'like his head was a football' despite being unconscious on the pavement.
They left him in a pool of blood and he was taken to hospital had two blood clots removed from his brain and suffered a fractured skull. He had to stay there for seven weeks.
Dawson was jailed at Bolton Crown Court today for five years while Warrington received a sentence of three years and four months.
Judge Elliott Knopf said: 'We in the courts are familiar with these acts of mindless violence committed by those who may be drunk or may be acting under the influence of drugs or may be angry or may do it for fun.
Referring to a case of three teenagers who beat a tramp to death for a dare, he added: 'We are reminded of the sentence of the three lads in Liverpool yesterday for their mindless violence which resulted in the death of a man.
'It is only through sheer luck you do not stand before the courts on the offence of manslaughter.
Ramsons restaurant in Ramsbottom, Bury, where Mr Ghassemi worked before the attack. It is not yet known if he will be able to return to work
'The consequences could have been lethal, fortunately that was not the case but you know he has suffered very significantly and will continue to suffer from what was perpetrated by you.'
Judge Knopf added: 'Mr Ghassemi could have remained in his car but there is no reason why he should be criticised.
'He got out of the car seeking to persuade you two to let him go on his way. His reward for showing that courage to make his point which one would expect could happen in a civilised society, was to be punched by you Warrington with such force that you hurt your own fist with the punch and Mr Ghassemi was kicked to the ground.
'It would appear his head struck the pavement and he was rendered unconscious. One would have hoped matters would be left, perhaps you may have sought medical attention but it seems that was not enough because the violence continued.
A judge said Mr Ghassemi should not be criticised for getting out to remonstrate with the pair of yobs
'You Dawson approached Mr Ghassemi when he was not moving on the pavement and kicked his head with such force that your shoe flew off.
'That was done by you and others may have been involved in kicking and punching him as he lay prone on the ground.'
People nearby came to the rescue of Mr Ghassemi and Warrington and Dawson fled the scene.
Dawson went to a bar nearby with one shoe missing and blood on his clothes. He said: 'I've just been in a fight and somebody got in the way. The other guy is worse than me. I'm hiding from the police.'
He later claimed not to remember the attack because he had drunk so much brandy that evening.
Mr Ghassemi has not been able to work since the attack in September last year because of memory loss and his state of mind.
Dawson, from Greenmount, Bury, pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm and Warrington, from Ramsbottom, admitted inflicting GBH.
Detective Constable Dave Looby said: 'This was a completely unprovoked attack on a man who simply wanted to remonstrate with this pair who were being a nuisance.
'There was no reason whatsoever for this to turn to violence, let alone for it to result in him receiving life-threatening injuries. All of this was played out in front of a boy who will be permanently scarred by what happened.
'Both these men now have a long time to reflect on this savage assault.'