THREE men found guilty of racially-motivated attacks in Evesham have been locked up by a judge.

The two victims were beaten up after they were overheard speaking Kurdish as they returned from a trip to a supermarket.

Rebaz Kadir made two desperate 999 calls to police during the violence outside his home in Maycroft.

A jury found Carl Marchant, Thomas Crump and Daniel Moran guilty of two counts of racially aggravated assault on Mr Kadir and his friend Jasim Ali, causing them actual bodily harm. Judge Amjad Nawaz remanded the trio in custody and warned: “Lengthy sentences of custody are likely for these serious offences.”

He dismissed pleas by two defence barristers that Crump and Moran had no previous convictions and should be given bail over the Christmas period. Marchant, aged 36, of Willow Close, Ashton-under-Hill, near Evesham, Crump, 21, of Lilac Close, Evesham, and Daniel Moran, also 21, of Winchcombe Road, Sedgeberrow, near Evesham, will be sentenced in the week beginning Monday, January 11, after reports on them have been prepared.

The judge excused the jury from reaching verdicts on a third count of affray.

The victims and Mr Kadir’s girlfriend returned from shopping on Friday, April 24, with the intention of cooking dinner, said prosecutor Sharon Bahia. But they were sworn at and told to go back to their own country before the men were attacked.

The jury heard sounds of the violence as a recording of one of the 999 calls was played in court.

A flurry of kicks and punches caused face and body injuries but no broken bones. The trio gave the court varying descriptions of weapons they claimed the victims had armed themselves with, including a knife, a cosh and an iron bar. But eye-witness Mark Bennett said he heard “English voices” shouting abuse and saw the victims backing away from the group throwing punches.

Police got to the scene and stopped an Audi car carrying the defendants as they tried to escape. Marchant had previous convictions for grievous bodily harm and assault on police.