Suspended jail sentences handed to a gang of seven men who beat up two Polish workers and left them lying in a pool of blood were yesterday branded “ludicrous”.

Suspended jail sentences handed to a gang of seven men who beat up two Polish workers and left them lying in a pool of blood were yesterday branded “ludicrous”.

Newly-appointed Lord Mayor of Norwich Roy Blower led the criticism saying the “cretins” who carried out the unprovoked attack in King's Lynn, Norfolk, deserved to be jailed.

Security camera footage, which can be seen on www.EDP24.co.uk, showed the true horror of the attack. Last night 93pc of visitors to the website agreed the gang members should be jailed while members of the site's forum also expressed anger.

The men, aged between 19 and 22 and from King's Lynn, were each given one-year sentences, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out unpaid work following the late-night drunken assault.

Police said the two male victims were left with “cuts and bruises” and “lying on the floor in a pool of blood” following the sustained' attack.

Mr Blower, who took up his post of lord mayor yesterday, said: “The cretins who did this deserve everything they get. As an Englishman, I am appalled by what they did.

“To allow them their freedom is ludicrous. I feel very strongly about this. They came out of court jubilant they hadn't been sent to jail but they should have been hanging their heads in shame.”

Para Handy, writing in the EDP online forum, said: “Yes they should have gone to jail, and for a very long time. Also to the toughest jail in the UK.”

Another visitor, known as BB, said: “I am extremely disgusted and horrified to see video footage capturing fellow human beings capable of this behaviour; of course they should have gone to prison.”

Mr Justice Cooke said the men had been “intent on violence” when they felled their two victims with kicks and punches in the unprovoked attack on November 4.

Sentencing the seven at Norwich Crown Court yesterday, he told them their actions had been “cowardly, unmanly, vicious and malicious”.

Christopher Tibbs, 21, and Jody Tooke, 21, both of Saddlebow Road, Liam Wintin, 19, of St Edmundsbury Road, John Plumley, 22, of Burnham Avenue, Benjamin Watson, 20, of Chadwick Square, Ben Winchester, 21, of Wisbech Road, all in King's Lynn, and Jack Nesbitt, 20, of Hinchingbrooke Close, South Wootton, were ordered to carry out a total of 1,230 hours of unpaid work as part of their punishment.