Two hardened criminals committed a horrifying attack on a young family in the car park of a hospital.

Yet Anthony Tuppen, 22, and 40-year-old Alan Bartlett received sentences at Lewes Crown Court of 15 months and one year in jail respectively.

Because they have spent some time in prison on remand, it means they are likely to be released in a matter of weeks.

The family involved in the attack still needs counselling after their ordeal.

Yet these two villains will soon be at liberty.

The two men have between them a total of 138 previous convictions.

The sentences send out the wrong message to the victims, the police who worked so hard on this case and other villains who may feel they are able to get away with it.