Three men have been spared jail over a homophobic attack on a father and son in Wokingham during lockdown.

Finn Areki, Jake Dickson, and Liam Godfrey hurled homophobic slurs at a man - then savagely beat his father when he came to his son's defence.

The group appeared in court today (February 23) to be sentenced for affray - but Judge Matthew Turner decided against sending any of the three to jail.

The court heard that, on June 8, 2020, the defendants went to a hostel near Wokingham rail station to visit a friend.

It was the height of lockdown, and as such social gatherings were not lawfully permitted at the time.

The trio's raucous behaviour drew staff's attention, and they were forced out of the hostel.

As they were leaving, the men kicked in one occupant's door, before subjecting him to homophobic abuse.

The victim called his father and told him of the abuse. Infuriated, the father got in his van and drove to the hostel.

However, on the way over, he ran into Areki, Godfrey, and Dickson.

A confrontation culminated in a brutal assault, in which the father was kicked in the head and beaten with a number of objects. These included a belt and - allegedly - a deodorant bottle.

The victim testified at trial last year, claiming that during the attack he suffered temporary sight loss.

Hearing the commotion, the son ran to his father's aid and was himself assaulted.

Ultimately, the victims were only able to escape by clambering into the van and driving away.

Judge Turner remarked that almost three years had passed since the incident. In that time, only Dickson had been convicted of any further offences.

The judge said that the trio's "immaturity" was a factor in their offending - with the youngest, Dickson, being just 17 at the time of the attack.

Godfrey - now 24, of Potter Crescent in Wokingham - has reportedly excelled in work, as has Areki, 23, from Ramsey St Marys.

Meanwhile, Dickson, 21, of Mylne Square in Wokingham, is expecting a child.

At the court hearing, Judge Turner doled out community sentences.

Godfrey was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Areki received an 18-month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work and a 50-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

An 18-month community order was imposed in Dickson's case, including a 60-day alcohol abstinence requirement.