TWO brothers who carried out a “ferocious” racist attack on a man walking with his pregnant girlfriend in a Leominster street have been sent into custody.

Ryan Davies, 19, had been drinking heavily when he met 20-year-old Cameron Ali, who had travelled to the Herefordshire town from Berkshire to visit his girlfriend.

Worcester Crown Court heard that Davies, who was with two other men, knew the girl from school and started a conversation.

Siobhan Collins, prosecuting, said Davies then challenged Mr Ali and made racist and homophobic remarks.

He called him a “fat Paki” before asking if he was sure he was “100 per cent British”.

Mr Ali and his girlfriend carried on walking towards Foster Crescent and the two other men left the scene but Davies’ 23-year-old brother Jake arrived and joined in making comments to Mr Ali.

He told them to leave and that his girlfriend was pregnant.

Miss Collins said Jake Davies responded by saying “let’s do him in” while Ryan Davies added: “I’m going to kill you and the Paki baby”.

Ryan Davies threw the can of lager he had been holding at Mr Ali, who ducked, but Jake Davies punched him on the head and knocked him to the floor where both of them punched and kicked him several times.

A witness passing on the evening of July 25 last year said it was a “ferocious and nasty” attack which left Mr Ali needing hospital treatment for injuries including a fractured eye socket, a cut to his eye and a fractured ankle, which kept him off work for five weeks.

The assault also caused difficulties for the long-distance relationship as Mr Ali was reluctant to revisit the town to see his girlfriend but the court heard they had now married.

Later the same day, the brothers went to look for a friend called Liam Bennington. Ryan Davies was seeking retribution for something he believed had happened earlier and kicked in the door of the flat where Mr Bennington was spending the evening and started punching him, Miss Collins said.

The damage to the door was put at £330 and the occupant was later evicted and made homeless partly as a result of the incident.

The brothers, of Cheaton Close, Leominster, both admitted racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm.

Ryan Davies also admitted criminal damage and common assault.

Judith Kenney, defending Ryan, said the brothers had a difficult childhood after their dad was jailed.

Ryan had started drinking at the age of 12 but had now given up alcohol and was very remorseful about the assault.

He had been so drunk he could not remember it clearly, Miss Kenney said.

Jason Patel, for Jake Davies, who had 12 previous convictions for 19 offences, said he had been forced to become the man of the house at a very young age and had missed out on his education. He had now shown positive signs and was due to become a father.

Recorder Denis Desmond said Ryan Davies had “manufactured” a drunken argument with Mr Ali.

He jailed Jake Davies for 22 months and gave Ryan Davies a total of 22 months in a young offenders’ institution.