A LITHUANIAN factory worker was left for dead in a brawl in Wisbech town centre, a court was told.

Judge Anthony Bate told attackers Vadimas Rastauskas and Gemininas Rauktys: “It’s a mercy that the victim managed to get through the ordeal without sustaining major or even mortal injury.”

Rastauskas then searched the 36-year-old victim’s pockets and stole his mobile phone as he reeled from the attack.

Sentencing Rastauskas to a total of 12 months in prison and Rauktys to nine months, Judge Bate called the crime “nothing less than utterly despicable”.

He said: “The ultimate result of the violence you meted out on that man was that he was rendered unconscious.

“What is then particularly chilling is how you, Rastauskas, spent the best part of 32 seconds searching the victim’s pockets.”

The violence broke out at 2.50am on October 18 last year. An unknown man ran at 26-year-old Rauktys before he and the victim squared up to each other.

The two defendants, who both pleaded guilty to affray, then set about the victim, kicking and punching him to the ground.

CCTV footage showed the victim briefly managed to get back on his feet but was soon knocked down again. The victim escaped with only a swollen jaw, cuts to the lower lip and grazes to the head.

The attackers could not bring themselves to look at parts of the CCTV coverage as it was played at Cambridge Crown Court.

Rauktys’ defence barrister Nicola Devas said: “He accepts his behaviour was truly unpleasant but he distanced himself in the end.”

She also said Rastauskas, of Norwich Road, Wisbech, was responsible for most of the kicks and that Rauktys had lived a “quiet life” since migrating to the UK.

Defending 27-year-old Rastauskas after he also pleaded guilty to theft, Jonathan Seely said: “It’s very fortunate the victim hasn’t got serious injuries.”