THUGS who attacked on two men on a train moments after it left Stourbridge Junction station have been jailed.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday October 12, Judge Amjad Nawaz told Anthony Hannay and Ian Merrett it was "disgraceful" behaviour and added: "It is only good fortune that no-one was seriously injured."

He said 22 year old Hannay was aggressive as he verbally abused Michael Powell, one of the passengers, simply because he had "looked at him."

The Judge said 23-year-old Merrett was then the first to throw a punch at Mr Powell who had done nothing wrong adding: "Loutish behaviour like this is sadly becoming all too common."

Mr Powell suffered swelling and bruising in the ugly incident while his friend David Surr had to have two stitches inserted into a cut to his chin after he too was repeatedly punched.

In a victim impact statement Mr Surr said the attack had left him worried about attending social gatherings and he had now decided to drive to Birmingham rather than use the train.

Mr Powell said he felt helpless when the two thugs began attacking him and maintained he had been left badly shaken while Stephanie Smith who was with his group told police the incident was "really scary."

A woman who was also a passenger on February 28 said she was now worried about travelling at night on the train service.

Worcester men Merrett, of Camphill Road, and Hannay, of Northwick Road, admitted affray and they were both sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

Hannay further admitted a charge of indecent exposure on the train and was given a further month in jail.

He was also told he must register as a Sex Offender for the next five years.

The two men who both have previous convictions involving violence were told by the Judge it was clear they were drunk when they boarded the train with a number of other people.

Judge Nawaz said: "Neither of you is a man of good character. You both have convictions for violence and you were both on bail when you committed this offence."

He told Hannay as he sentenced him for the indecent exposure: "No one should have to suffer the indignity of that kind of behaviour."

Warren Stanier, prosecuting, told the hearing Mr Powell and Mr Surr were Birmingham bound on the train with three friends and Hannay and Merrett were part of a 15 strong gang who boarded at Worcester.

He said Hannay was shouting and screaming as he exposed himself to passengers - an incident that left women passengers extremely shocked.

It was then he decided to pick on Mr Powell and his friends before Merrett got involved as the train left Stourbridge and he threw the first punch sparking off the trouble that was caught on CCTV and shown to the court.