THREE men involved in a brutal street attack, one from Redhill, have been jailed.

Their victim, Darren Payne, 35, a car rental parking manager at Gatwick, lost part of an ear He was left scarred for life by the assault in Crawley.

Sentencing the men at Hove Crown Court, Judge Cedric Joseph described the attack as "vicious, cowardly and horrific." Kyle Burchell, 20, and Joe Rous, 19, both from Crawley, denied causing actual bodily harm but were convicted at a trial in January.

The third man, Luke Ingram, 21, of Whitepost Hill. Redhill, pleaded guilty and admitted kicking Mr Payne as he lay on the ground.

The court was told Mr Payne was walking home in August 2005 after spending the evening at the Icon Diva nightclub. He and friend, Barry Pelham, were singing when trouble flared.

Burchell, Ingram, Rous and two men cleared of taking part in the attack, were walking on the opposite side of the street with Ingram's girlfriend.

Ingram thought his girlfriend had been insulted and the three attacked Mr Payne, who said he recalled his head been shaken and someone snarling like a dog.

Police found the missing piece of his right ear nearby but doctors were unable to reattach it. Edward Boateng-Addo, defending Burchell, said his client had acted out of character.

Andrew Selby, defending Ingram, said: "He displays genuine remorse."

Theresa Hay, defending Rous, said: "He is able to demonstrate some empathy for the victim in this case."

The judge told the men: "Violence on the streets in our towns is all too prevalent and it makes it unsafe for decent citizens to be out late at night in case they come into contact with people like yourselves, who have been drinking far too much and are intent on violence.

"This offence has had a very considerable affect on the victim. During the course of this attack he had part of his ear bitten off.

"Nobody can say which of you is responsible but the three of you laid into him for no reason at all.

"He and his friend were singing and they may have made some comment about the female in your company but that provides no excuse for the three of you to run across the road and attack him in a vicious, cowardly and horrific manner."

Burchell was sentenced to 30 months in jail. Ingram, a father of one, was given a two-year sentence.

Father-of-two Rous, was given 30 months. He will serve a further six months in jail after he admitted breaching a conditional discharge imposed for an earlier offence of assault.