A TRIO of attackers assaulted a Good Samaritan “like feral animals” as he attempted to protect them.

Robert Carroll had been watching television in bed with his wife and two children at their home in Unsworth, at around 11pm on April 20 last year, when he heard the sound of banging coming from outside.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard that both he and his wife went to investigate and saw Jake Kelly, aged 21, Jade Cassidy, aged 25, and Leigh French, aged 26, “under the effect of something like alcohol or drugs” near the cars in their driveway.

Mr Carroll then saw Kelly push one of the girls in the chest to the ground and then push the other.

At that point his Mr Carroll’s wife shouted that the police had been called and Mr Carroll went to the front door to ask why Kelly had pushed the girls.

Prosecuting, Duncan Wilcock said: “At that stage Kelly became aggressive and was screaming at him.

“He approached and he was now in Mr Carroll’s face.”

One of the women then got up and walked towards Mr Carroll saying: “If you think he’s bad, I’m your worst nightmare.”

As Mr Carroll tried to back away one of the women jumped on his back and bit him on the shoulder and the other bit him on his right arm.

He then fell to the ground and Kelly threw punches at his head.

As he attempted to flee Mr Carroll fell to the ground before managing to reach the safety of his home.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Carroll said: “I’m so shocked about what has happened. I feel upset and I’m angry because I tried to help the girls. I could have just stayed away.

He added that the experience had been “painful” and said, “If I could start again I would not have gone out”.

A short time after the attack, Kelly, Cassidy and French were arrested nearby.

All three defendants pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm at earlier hearings.

Judge John Edwards described the defendants’ actions as a “disgraceful display” and said: “I simply do not understand it. You strike me as three perfectly sensible young people who completely lost your self control in drink and I hope you are ashamed.”

He added: “You let yourselves down and you let down those you care for.

“You behaved like a pack of feral animals and you would have no complaints if I sent you straight to prison. However I am going to stay my hand.”

Kelly of Bolton Road, Bury; Cassidy of Holyrood Grove, Prestwich; and French of Otter Drive, Bury; were sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Cassidy and French must also complete 30 days rehabilitation activity requirement, and Kelly 40 days.

And they must each pay £300 in compensation to Mr Carroll.

Kelly was also sentenced to a further one month in prison suspended for eighteen months after pleading guilty to a drugs offence at an earlier hearing.

That came after police raided his home and found cannabis worth several hundred pounds, the court heard.