A GANG who attacked and robbed a Braunton man after a party have been sentenced.

Two 16-year-olds and two accomplices were given detention and training orders for eight months at Exeter Crown Court.

The victim was targeted after waving wads of cash around at a party at the Braunton home of Joshua Beddows.

The attackers were drunk — and some high on cocaine — when they robbed the 35-year-old man of £612 and knocked him unconscious.

Recorder Kevin De Haan QC told them: "This was gratuitous violence against an individual who had been drinking with you. Even allowing for the fact he may have fuelled your extra intake of alcohol, that was no justification for the attack on him."

Court reporter Catherine Watson successfully applied to lift a ban on naming Jack Fox, of South Street, Braunton, and Damon Owens, of RAF Honington, Bury St Edmunds, who are both 16.

Owens, Fox and David Hubble, 20, of Rectory Close, Wrafton, Braunton, pleaded guilty to robbery and were given detention and training orders for eight months each.

Beddows, 19, of Dunns Close, Wrafton, was given 200 hours of unpaid work, as part of a year's community order, after admitting handling stolen goods.

Prosecutor Jonathan Barnes said the victim met the gang in February this year and went to the party.

According to some witnesses, he produced a line of cocaine.

Mr Barnes said the victim became very drunk and flashed around a large amount of cash.

Mr Barnes said: "He remembers very little of the evening. He woke up at home in a lot of pain. He had lost two front teeth and his wallet was missing."

The incident happened in a field in Braunton, when partygoers were on their way to visit a takeaway.

The group were arrested after witnesses saw the gang punch and kick the man and then go through his pockets.

The prosecutor praised Dafydd Nicholas and Daniel Knott who got £30 back from Beddows and Fox shortly after the attack.

Fox admitted starting the attack by punching the victim, while Owens said he held him down.

The court heard in mitigation that the gang were remorseful. Beddows and Fox said they were not used to cocaine and had all been angered by the defendant's behaviour that night — which included allegedly providing the drugs and offering them money to fight each other.

There were tears from the packed public gallery, as the defendants, all in dark suits, were sentenced.