AN attack outside an East Lancashire social club has left a man with life-changing injuries, a court heard.

When Andrew Tait, 30, set upon David Connelly, 61, outside the Bridge Sports and Social Club in Darwen he was left with a bleed on the brain, Preston Crown Court was told.

And later Mr Connelly, who had been trying to protect his friend Rikki Harrison from Tait's onslaught, suffered a stroke, the court heard.

Sales director Tait, of Charles Street, Darwen, is now beginning a 27-month prison sentence, after admitting to unlawfully wounding Mr Connelly and assaulting Mr Harrison on March 19. His father Robert Tait, 52, of Bury Fold Lane, Darwen, convicted after trial of assaulting Mr Harrison, was jailed for 15 months.

The father and son even took "trophy" photos of the victims after the beating, the court heard.

Passing sentence Judge Graham Knowles QC said ordinarily the defendants were decent, honest and hard-working men but they had behaved "disgracefully" that night.

"This violence was unprovoked and brutal," added the judge, who also issued indefinite restraining orders banning the father and son from approaching their victims or attending the social club.

Prosecutor Kyra Badman said Robert Tait had been in a relationship with a woman, who later started seeing Mr Harrison.

All four men were in the social club on the night in question when words were exchanged. Later it emerged Robert Tait had been taking pictures of Mr Harrison and Mr Connelly.

Miss Badman said at one point the older Tait said "someone is going to get it".

CCTV footage showed Andrew Tait confronting Mr Harrison in the club doorway, throwing punches. Mr Connelly attempts to intervene and is also set upon. The son later calls his father, who was still drinking, to assist him. He became involved in the scuffle, including aiming kicks at Mr Harrison while he was on the ground.

Richard Prew, for Andrew Tait, said his client was desperately remorseful and wished he could change places with Mr Connelly.

Hugh Barton, for Robert Tait, said the father only became aware of what was going on when he stepped outside.

Mr Connelly said later: "I had to have a brain operation, I was paralysed down my right side and I couldn’t speak. I had to attend a stroke rehabilitation centre for three weeks and still need some organised daily care.

"I can’t work anymore due to my injuries and the incident has completely changed my life. I still regularly fall over and I injured myself at the start of August after I fell again.”