Six men have been jailed for a cowardly, violent and unprovoked attack which left a Kurdish-Iranian student with life-changing injuries.

Reker Ahmed was subjected to two beatings over the course of 16 minutes, when he and two friends got caught up in the fight in Croydon.

The 17-year-old suffered a fractured spine, a bleed on the brain and facial fractures on the Shrublands Estate shortly after midnight on March 31.

Mr Ahmed, who has no memory of the attack, said that he has since tried to take his own life, has nightmares and flashbacks and does not sleep properly.

He said in a statement: "Since I was attacked I feel extremely distressed and anxious. I cannot understand why anyone would want to hurt me like this for no reason."

Six men, all from Croydon, were sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Monday for their parts in the incident.

George Jeffrey, 21, of Uvedale Close, George Walder, 21, of Myrtle Road, Lliam Neylon, 20, of Ferris Avenue, and Ben Harman, 21, of Akabusi Close, were each jailed for four years and two months.

Kurt Killick, 18, of Erica Gardens, was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment.

They were each found guilty by a jury at trial of two counts of violent disorder.

James Neves, 23, of no fixed address, was given two years and four months for one count of violent disorder.

Millie Walder, 18, of Myrtle Road, Croydon, was previously given a community order after pleading guilty to a public order offence.