THREE thugs who beat a dad in what a judge called "disgraceful, drunken mob violence" have been jailed for a total of six years.

As Karl McIvor, 46, lay unconscious on the floor, members of the gang took running kicks at his head, Preston Crown Court was told.

He had been confronted and knocked to the ground in what police described as unprovoked attack when he came across a gang of men on the Stoops Estate in Burnley.

The court was told his nephew Alan arrived on the scene and threw himself on to his uncle's body to protect him.

But one of the thugs ripped a plank of wood from a fence and swung it at him. Alan McIvor was left with a broken hand from trying to protect himself.

Karl McIvor's son John was hit with a fencing post as he arrived on the scene.

The violence ended when police, who had to call for backup, turned up.

The three defendants, all aged 22, had pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm upon Karl McIvor and also violent disorder.

At court yesterday, Luke Gorton of Fenwick Street, Burnley, had also admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm upon the nephew, Alan McIvor, and a handling offence.

He was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Aaron Gorton, of St John's Road, Burnley, had also admitted actual bodily harm assault on Karl McIvor's son John. He was sent to prison for two-years-and-three months.

Robert Grimes, of Fenwick Street, Burnley, was jailed for 15 months after admitting an actual bodily harm charge.

Several other defendants are due to be sentenced today for their parts.

The court was told that Karl McIvor was attacked as he walked back to a barbecue with his 15-year-old daughter.

The pair had walked his sister home on June 10 last year as England played Paraguay in the football World Cup.

Mr McIvor told his daughter to "run for it" when he saw the gang and she fled the scene.

But Mr McIvor was left with a fractured upper jaw and needed metal plates and screws to fix the bone.

Judge Edward Slinger said: "It wasn't merely disgraceful drunken behav-iour, but behaviour that descended effectively into uncontrolled mob violence.

"It is only a matter of chance that no one was injured even more seriously, perhaps perm-anently injured or more.

"Decent people who live on the estates of our towns and cities are to be protected from having to witness or become victims of behaviour of this kind by powerful young drunken men."

Philip Holden, for Luke Gorton, said his client had shouted "leave him alone" when Karl McIvor was assaulted. He said: "This was not his fight. He undoubtedly became involved, but he was not the instigator of any of these offences."

Martin Hackett, for Aaron Gorton, said that two days after the offences his client was given a 16-month sentence and had now "turned the corner".

Michael Murray for Grimes, who had no previous convictions, said that defendant once had a promising future as a footballer.

He was taken on by Burnley FC's centre of excellence at the age of 10 and hoped to turn professional but an ankle injury ended his chances.