A BARROW man has been left scarred for life after two vicious thugs launched an unprovoked attack on him as he sat outside his house having a cigarette.

Neil Keenan was smoking a cigarette by the front door of his home in Lumley Street in the early hours of Sunday July 15 last year when Adam Carswell and Carl Hartley came walking along the road.

Mr Keenan knew Carswell and said hello as the pair walked past his door.

Without any reason or provocation Carswell then began shouting at Mr Keenan and headbutted him which caused Mr Keenan to fall back inside his house.

Both Carswell and Hartley then followed Mr Keenan into the house and launched a sustained attack on him by kicking him, punching him and stamping on his head. They also smashed a bottle over his head.

During the attack Hartley shouted to Carswell: “Go on kick him, stamp on him.”

As the two thugs left the house Hartley warned a semi-conscious Mr Keenan: “If you get the police you’re going to be killed.”

Mr Keenan managed to call 999 and he was taken to Furness General Hospital where he spent five days after doctors found a bleed on his brain.

He later told police he thought he was going to die during the attack.

Mr Keenan has been left with a three-inch scar on his head and doctors had to use medical glue to reattach part of his ear.

Mr Keenan identified both of his attackers to police but it took a further seven months before the pair were charged after forensics identified Mr Keenan’s blood on their clothes.

Carswell and Hartley were both charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent - the most serious assault offence short of attempted murder.

At their first appearance at Barrow Crown Court on March 15 of this year Carswell, 35, of Marsh Street, and Hartley, 37, who was at the time detained at Haverigg Prison, both pleaded guilty to causing GBH without intent.

They appeared at Preston Crown Court on April 8 when they were both jailed for the horrific attack.

Carswell was jailed for 30 months while Hartley was jailed for 34 months.