TWO soldiers who launched an unprovoked attack on friends walking home after a night out have been spared jail so they can join colleagues in Afghanistan.

A Court was told that Lee Thomas and Joshua Seaton would have been dismissed from the Army had they received a custodial sentence – either immediate or suspended.

The men were yesterday given community sentences, which included carrying out unpaid work, after pleas from their barristers convinced a judge to show them mercy.

Thomas and Seaton attacked Luke Nelson and Michael Hedworth after they had been drinking at pubs close to the market place in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

Part of the assault was caught on CCTV which showed 21-year-old Thomas kicking Mr Nelson after knocking him to the ground.

After his arrest at the scene on March 26, Thomas admitted to police that he had trouble controlling his temper, and told officers: “I’ve got little man syndrome.”

Thomas, who is about 5ft 5ins, was the instigator of the attack, but was joined by sixfooter Seaton, 19, who could be seen punching Mr Hedworth.

Mr Hedworth, 22, from Spennithorne, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire, and Mr Nelson, 21, from Leyburn, suffered cuts and brusing following the attacks.

The soldiers admitted two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing, and returned to Teesside Crown Court to be sentenced.

Thomas, of Princess Road, Ripon, was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, and Seaton, of Hermitage Court, Crewe, Cheshire, was told to carry out 150 hours work.

The soldiers, based at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, and who could be heading for Afghanistan in the spring, were each told to pay £500 compensation.

Jonathan Walker, mitigating, said Thomas was deeply embarrassed by his “drunken thugishness”.

Graham Sylvester, for Seaton, said his client was guilty of “some misguided loyalty in going to help”.

Judge George Moorhouse told the soldiers: “One thing I thought you learned in the Army was discipline, but it seems to be lacking in both of your cases.”