Sean Paul O'Callaghan, 20, from Gleann Si in Rostrevor was involved in an assault on Belfast's Cavehill Road which left one man with a fractured skull and his brother with eye and scalp injuries.

Belfast Crown Court was last week told O'Callaghan suffered a traumatic childhood which included being doused with petrol and set on fire aged just nine. The court also heard his father was murdered when he was 11.

Prosecutor Kate McKay said the injured parties were socialising with friends on Halloween night 2006.

As they made their way along Cavehill Road one of the group noticed four males on the opposite side of the road. The gang approached the friends and launched what Mrs McKay said was an “unprovoked attack”.

The court heard O'Callaghan was later identified by witnesses and following his arrest he told police he could remember nothing about the incident. He subsequently pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The judge said: “You have very real mental health issues. Your traumatic childhood has left you deeply scarred.”