Three teen yobs who beat hero dad into coma while he defended child are unmasked as they’re jailed for 12 years
TWO teen thugs who battered a carer into a coma were today unmasked after being sent to jail for 12 years each.
Archie and George Tilley were seen laughing and swearing as they appeared in court over the brutal attack on Alan Willson.
The 47-year-old was left with "significant life-changing brain injuries" after being beaten with a wooden log as he came to the aid of an 11-year-old boy in Worthing, West Sussex.
He is still unable to walk or talk and has "no mental capacity" after the Easter Sunday attack last year.
In a win for The Sun, we can now reveal Archie Tilley, 16, and George Tilley, 14, were the "ringleaders".
We argued they should be named after details of the horrific attack came to light.
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The brothers from Worthing, West Sussex were both convicted of GBH with intent.
Judge Christine Henson said at Hove Crown Court today: "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."
It means The Sun can exclusively reveal pictures showing the remorseless teens swearing at photographers while attending a previous court appearance.
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George also smirked after the verdicts were handed down last month and continued to frequently grin during yesterday's hearing.
But he failed to smile after being given a total extended sentence of 12 years.
This includes a maximum of nine years with an extended three-year license.
Archie was given the same total extended sentence of 12 years.
They were joined in the dock by Harry Furlong, 18, from Horsham, West Sussex, who was found guilty of GBH without intent.
He was sentenced to 20 months - with the final 10 spent on license.
FRISBEE ROW
Lewes Crown Court previously heard how Alan was pushed over by the one of the teens - then aged 13, 14 and 17 - in a row over a frisbee.
He was then “whacked” with a 3ft log - causing a "loud crack" as his ribs broke.
The trio were caught on CCTV at a railway station re-enacting the bloody battering less than an hour later while attempting to impress girls.
One teen who spoke to the attackers described them as “fake beating the air” and giggling “please stop”.
A dog walker told police the attack at first “sounded like someone getting beaten up or hurt” then ";like someone being murdered”.
Judge Christine Henderson said: "It is fortunate that they did not kill Mr Wilson."
Prosecutor Thomas Acworth said: "These three young people are extremely fortunate that Alan Willson hasn't died as a result of the injuries he sustained.
"There were real concerns that Alan Willson might die. The impact on him is significant, permanent and life-changing."
There was a log underneath Al. He was lying on his right side. I wanted to pull it out because I wanted to make him a bit more comfortable but the man on the phone said not to touch him.
Annie Wilson
The keen snowboarder was left in a coma for several days and spent three months in hospital in total.
Medics did not believe he would survive his injuries, which included bruising and bleeding on the brain and fractures to his skull, eye sockets, jaw and ribs.
Paramedics were unable to recognise him as being an adult and his family were told not to expect that he would survive.
The care worker was knocked unconscious during the brutal 7.30pm attack while horrified passers-by called his wife Annie.
She raced to the scene to find her husband bleeding heavily from his ear and desperately trying to breathe.
A heartbreaking video taken in the last couple of months was shown to court of Annie attempting to teach her husband how to count to ten again.
It was played after she told the three defendants: "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."
Annie courageously read in her victim impact statement today: "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 grandad, brother, cousin and uncle."
She told of watching the "ultimate form of torture" at seeing Alan cry over struggling to communicate.
The brave mum, who also spoke exclusively to The Sun, added: "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.
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"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."
