TWO thugs, including a young woman, who attacked a chef at a pub wake have escaped a prison sentence.

Lauren Taylor, 21, and her then boyfriend Miles Minall, 20, set upon 60-year-old Ron McAllister at the Tudor Rose pub in Upper Upnor, in Medway, in August last year.

Mr McAllister, who worked at a different pub, had offered to help out at what was the funeral of one of Taylor's relatives.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that he has no memory of the attack itself, other than laying in the pub garden with injuries that included a broken nose and fractured cheekbone.

But another chef at the pub that day saw Taylor, of Pelham Road, Gravesend, holding his colleague around the neck while punching him repeatedly in the face.

Minall, of Chirstchurch Road, Gravesend, was said to be punching Mr McAllister to the back of his head "again and again".

Having stopped their vicious assault the couple spoke to another funeral guest who went over to Mr McAllister and headbutted him.

Sentencing the pair to year-long community orders on Friday, Miss Recorder Alison Russell said there was no excuse for their behaviour.

"I know it was a heightened emotional time but that is all the more reason to behave," she commented. "It was a horrifying and frightening attack, never mind the pain he suffered as a result of you injuring him."

Both pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.

As part of their community orders, Taylor must carry out 150 hours unpaid work and Minall must undertake 200 hours unpaid work.

They were also ordered to each pay £200 compensation to Mr McAllister and £100 each in court costs.

* For more details and reaction from the victim, see Monday's Medway Messenger.