Two brothers who battered a carer into a coma have been unmasked after they were jailed for 12 years each for the savage attack.
Archie and George Tilley, now 16 and 14, attacked Alan Willson, 47, in Longcroft Park, Worthing in April 2021.
The pair along with Harry Furlong, 18, was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. All three denied the offence.
Alan suffered "catastrophic" life-changing injuries and was left with bruising and bleeding on the brain and fractures to his skull, eye sockets, jaw and ribs.
Alan is said to have come to the aid of an 11-year-old when he was being picked on in the park.
The court heard how the teens, who were 13, 14 and 17 at the time, then beat Alan with a log weighing 2.7kg.
A jury at Hove Crown Court found the brothers guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent by a jury.
Furlong was acquitted of grievous bodily harm with intent but found guilty by a majority jury of grievous bodily harm without intent.
There was a court order restricting the identity of the brothers, but it was lifted by the judge.
Judge Christine Henson said at Hove Crown Court yesterday: "I am satisfied it is now in the interest of justice to lift restrictions in regard to Archie and George Tilley.
"It is in the public interest to relax the restriction."
The Tilley brothers were both classified as dangerous offenders and given extended 12-year sentences to include a maximum of nine years in custody and three years on license.
Furlong was given a 20-month sentence, minus time already spent on remand. He will serve half in custody and half on license. He was not classified as a dangerous offender.
Alan’s wife Annie Willson said in a victim impact statement: “On Sunday 4 April 2021, you destroyed my family and have broken us beyond repair. I will never forget turning up in that park and seeing what you had done to my Alan.
"You took away a husband, father, granddad, brother, cousin, and uncle. Alan was the gentlest man who would help anyone at the drop of a hat, no questions asked.
"You attacked him as a group and did not stop until he was on the floor, bleeding and unconscious.
"Now, because of your actions, my husband cannot speak, cannot play with his children, cannot work and cannot control his body. He has no mental capacity, no vision in his left eye and has a massive brain injury from which he will never fully recover.
"He has hearing problems, dental problems, cannot toilet himself or take care of his personal hygiene. He is not the same man. He is locked in this strange body that he doesn’t understand.
"He will never again be able to enjoy the things he took so much pleasure in. He no longer says silly things to make us laugh. He no longer gives us the hugs and cuddles that we used to enjoy so much.
"No sentence that you get will ever be long enough as it is Alan who has the life sentence together with myself and my family."
After sentencing, she described how her life has changed.
She said: "How he is now is hugely different. He cries a lot, you try and talk to him and involve him in conversation and he's like, 'I can't speak, I can't speak' and he just makes a noise.
"As far as his brain injuries are concerned, he just touches his head and he knows, he comprehends, but he can't verbalise anything, because his mouth won't work, the muscles won't work and the sound doesn't work.
"He can't write anything down, he can't watch telly for too long, there's too much going on - too many sounds, too many pictures. And he doesn't read because he can't. He can't have a conversation, his life is gone. He's a completely different man.
"The impact on the family has been massive. We have lived this past year without an 'I love you' without 'good night kids', without laughing and joking."
She also made a heartbreaking plea for a medical expert to help her husband be able to talk again.
She added: "There must be someone out there who can help him speak again, there must be some surgeon or somebody who can help him, because some days Alan doesn't want to be here anymore."
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Dunn, the senior investigating officer, said: "This was a sickening and violent assault on an innocent man, who had simply stepped in to help a young boy who was hurt and upset.
“The injuries Alan suffered showed this was a sustained and prolonged attack, and the impact of what happened that day will live with Alan and his family for the rest of their lives.
“I would like to thank Annie and the rest of Alan’s family for the bravery and dignity they have shown throughout this heart-breaking ordeal. I can only hope now the court case is behind them, that they are able to move forward and focus fully on Alan’s recovery.
“I’d also like to thank the team of investigators who worked so hard to build a strong case, and the witnesses who came forward to help us bring those responsible to justice.”
