Two “cowardly bullies” who were involved in a late-night attack on two men following a Christmas party at Center Parcs at Elveden have been given suspended sentences.

Sentencing Declan Clifford and Lee Selvarajah, Judge Martyn Levett described the incident, which happened in the car park at the holiday park while two couples were waiting to be picked up, as “an unpleasant melee”.

He said two women had been approached by the defendants while they were having a cigarette. “Whatever happened the conversation wasn’t wanted and it was unsolicited,” said the judge.

The women’s partners had intervened and had been assaulted by the defendants

One of the men suffered a broken nose, cuts and bruises and underwent surgery after being punched by Selvarajah and the other suffered a broken wrist and bruising to his face after being assaulted by Clifford.

Clifford, 29, of Providence Street, Plymouth, admitted three offences of assault causing actual bodily harm harm on December 14, 2017, and was given a 15-month prison sentence suspended for two years and a ten-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was also ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to the man who suffered the broken wrist and £400 compensation to a woman who was pushed over during the violence..

Selvarajah, 28, of The Willows, Bedford, admitted one offence of assault causing actual bodily harm and was given a ten-month prison sentence suspended for two years and a ten-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to the man who suffered the broken nose.

In an impact statement, one of the victims said the attack on him has been completely unprovoked and he described the defendants as “cowardly bullies.”

His wife, who suffered bruising to her leg, back and arm when she was thrown to the ground during the incident, described what happened as a “horrific, brutal attack” and said it had caused her to suffer from anxiety and sleepless nights.

The court heard that the defendants had no previous convictions and both had good jobs and through no fault of their own had been waiting more than three years for the case to be dealt with by the court.