SIX thugs savagely beat up a vulnerable man over false allegations he was a child molester.

Blows rained down on the man, who has Asperger's syndrome, during the "unprovoked and sustained" half hour pummelling.

He suffered four broken ribs, a partially collapsed lung, intestinal injuries, a cut under his eye and bruising and swelling to his head, face and upper body at the hands of Lewis Bain and five of Bain's friends.

They were sentenced at Bolton Crown Court yesterday where Judge Graeme Smith said: "If ever there was a case that shows the consequences of taking the law into your own hands, this is it."

The group invited the man to walk dogs with them as a pretence to "lure" him to a golf course to carry out the attack.

"He was kicked and punched and was attacked with a bicycle pump and a flag from the golf course," said Judge Smith.

"His injuries were so severe he spent a month in hospital."

One culprit sent a friend a text message that said: "We f****d up this guy because he's a paedo. You couldn't understand how far we took it."

The victim, then aged 24, later told police: "I'm scared and I can't believe my own friends would hurt me."

All defendants admitted causing grievous bodily harm.

Alicia Berry, 32, of Empire Road, Breightmet, was jailed for 38 months.

Michael Edgington, 23, of Marld Crescent, Bolton, received 34 months in jail.

Bain, 20, of Blackburn Road, Bolton, went to prison for 30 months.

Dillon Duffy, 20, of Newby Road, Breightmet, and Kelly Nightingale, 18, of Mesnes Park Terrace, Wigan, both received two years' jail, suspended for two years.

Eamon McKenzie-Wild, 17, of Empire Road, Breightmet, got a 12-month youth referral order.