John Hall was alone in bed when the gang – including his girlfriend's uncle, brother and dad – burst in and beat him up, leaving him fighting for his life.

He was kicked so hard he had a footprint on his face.

Dad-of-one Mr Hall spent eight months in hospital, three of them in a coma, with severe brain injuries and a broken back and skull.

He is in a wheelchair and has long-term memory loss.

The 48-year-old, now living with mum Irene Clarkson in Whiteleas, South Shields, travelled to Bristol Crown Court yesterday to see his attackers sentenced.

He said: "I used to enjoy life, but now I'm nothing. I'm wheelchair-bound for a long time.

"The people who did this were like family to me. They were my girlfriend's family."

The court heard how the five men burst into his former home in Avonmouth, last September.

Lee Hale, 28, of no fixed address, and Ryan Hill, 24, of Stowey Road, Yatton, both pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Paul Hale, 52, of School Way, Severn Beach, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm, as did Jason Glanville, 32, of Marsh Common Road, Pilning, and David Hill, 41, of School Way, Severn Beach.

Hale was jailed for nine years and Hill for eight, while the others got four years each.

The court heard how Mr Hall now needs round-the-clock care and will be unlikely to be able to work again.

Jailing the gang, Judge David Ticehurst said: "This was a concerted attack by you, a gang of men, who attacked him in his bedroom.

"Whatever your misguided loyalties, your response was savage and brutal.

"Your victim is in no state to give evidence - apart from you and him, no one was there.

"It was a beating that you all participated in to a greater or lesser extent, and you each sought to say you were not responsible for very serious injuries."

Fiona Elder, prosecuting, said Mr Hall had a "stormy relationship" with girlfriend Dawn Hale.

Miss Elder said that on September 9 last year Mr Hall was in a "fairly drunk" state, and her uncle David Hill offered to get him out of the house.

With that, the court heard, the gang pulled up to his home, stormed in and attacked him.

Some of them later boasted of the attack in their local pub saying: "We gave him a good hiding, we did him proper."

Jennifer Tallentire, defending Ms Hale's brother Lee said he had shown remorse, but conceded he used a curtain pole and his shoe in the attack.

Ramin Pakrooh, defending Ms Hale's dad Paul, said his client had expressed horror at what had occurred.

Rodney Wilson, defending Glanville, accepted he had punched Mr Hall twice and threatened to throw himself off a bridge afterwards, but was talked down by police.

Catherine Spedding, defending Ryan Hill, said her client regretted his involvement.

Paul Grumbar, defending dad-of-three David Hill, had been told John Hall had started to "trash" the house.

Speaking to the Gazette moments after the case finished yesterday, Mr Hall's brother Ed said: "We're absolutely thrilled they'll all be going to jail, we're over the moon.

"We all travelled down here to make sure justice was served, and it was."

Mum Mrs Clarkson added: "Our lives have changed completely, but John's a fighter and he will continue to improve - although he'll never be the same as he was.

"No jail term for those responsible will put him back to the way he was. His life has been ruined forever - that's what upsets me the most."