AN Alton man who dreamed of a glittering career in his father's oil company faces a very different future after being jailed for a savage attack on a New Year's reveller.

Benjamin Sturman, 18, of Manor Road, Alton, was one of a gang of three who chased and battered a suspected party gate-crasher black and blue after cornering him on a lonely industrial estate.

Sturman was sent to a young offenders institution for two years on Thursday for his part in what a judge described as an "horrific attack".

The defendant's two partners in crime were also sent to a young offenders institution for a total of five and a half years for the assault on 18-year-old Alexander Rider, of Oldwood Chase, Farnborough, in the early hours of January 1.

The victim was punched, kicked and stamped on, leaving him with a broken jaw and a mass of cuts and bruises before being robbed of his mobile phone and credit cards.

Sturman's co-defendants who stood with him in the dock at Guildford Crown Court were David Hyett, 18, of Wimbledon Road, Camberley and Glen Simmonds, 20, of Redan Road, Aldershot.

Hyett was given two and a half years. Simmonds got three years.

All three defendants appeared for sentence after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

Simmonds also pleaded guilty to an additional charge of robbery. The court was told that he returned to Mr Rider as he lay on the ground in agony and relieved him of his mobile and his cash cards.

Sentencing the trio, the judge, Mr Recorder Jeremy Carter-Manning, criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for not charging the three men with the more serious offence of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

"You are fortunate that the victim did not sustain far more serious injuries," he said.

The court was told that the violence happened after Mr Rider and his friends called at a house party in Morlands Road, Camberley.

But it turned out to be the wrong address - and the occupants made it clear that the visitors were not welcome, said prosecuting counsel Laura Plant.

Ms Plant said that the three men came out of the house, accusing Mr Rider and his friends of being 'gate-crashers' and chased them.

She said: "Mr Rider became separated from his friends."

The prosecuting counsel said the victim's pursuers caught up with him at Yorktown Industrial Estate, Camberley, and subjected him to a sustained beating which included repeated punches, kicks, stamping and, finally, a supermarket trolley being hurled at his prone body.

She said: "At one point one of the defendants shouted: 'Do you know who I am?' The victim was also told to remove his hands from his face so he could be kicked in the face."

The incident was captured on CCTV footage which was shown to the court. The film enabled the attackers to be identified and caught, she said.

In answer to the judge's questions, Ms Plant said it had been decided to charge the defendants with GBH without intent, instead of GBH with intent, because the arrested men had indicated that they would plead guilty to the lesser charge.

Rio Pahlavanpour, defending Sturman, said his client had no previous convictions.

He blamed Sturman's behaviour on a cocktail of alcohol and cocaine.

Mr Pahlavanpour said: "He had a promising future in Canada in his father's oil company."

But he said his client was likely to be barred from returning to Canada because of his conviction and the likely sentence he faced.