VIOLENT town centre attackers who repeatedly stabbed and hit a man as he tried to save schoolboys from being robbed have been jailed for a total of more than 15 years.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh concluded that knife-wielding Patrick Cullen is so dangerous that the public need protecting from him and so the 21-year-old was given an extended sentence of nine years and nine months. He will serve two thirds of the sentence before he is eligible to apply for parole and, at the end of the jail term, will spend a further three years on licence.

Has accomplice, Regan Sharples, also aged 21, was sentenced to six years in prison.

Both men were involved in robbing three schoolboys in Victoria Square, Bolton, on the evening of May 9 when heroic Adrian Hornby tried to intervene to stop them.

But Cullen turned on him, repeatedly stabbing him in the head, body and legs, with Sharples joining in, swinging a bottle at him and kicking him.

As Mr Hornby tried to get away they pursued him, attacked him again and robbed him.

Sentencing them at Bolton Crown Court, Judge Walsh described Mr Hornby's bravery.

"He courageously intervened and urged each of you to desist the attacks that were taking place," Judge Walsh told the defendants, describing their crimes as "a cowardly and brutal attack upon a young man who had courageously gone to the assistance of the three youths."

The court had previously heard how violent thug Cullen, who was drunk on Jack Daniels, and Sharples, targeted three 15-year-olds as they sat in Victoria Square at 11pm playing on their mobile phones.

Cullen forced them to hand over the devices and repeatedly punched the terrified boys.

And when security worker Adrian Hornby, who was heading home after finishing his shift, tried to intervene, attempting to grab a knife from Cullen, he was repeatedly stabbed in the head and body.

But the callous attackers were not content to let their victim walk away, bleeding heavily from his wounds.

Instead they chased after him, threatened him again with the knife and robbed him before police arrived on the scene and caught them.

Cullen, of no fixed address and Sharples, of Shaw Road, Horwich, pleaded guilty to the robberies, attempted robberies, causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Hornby and possessing knives.

The horrific attacks were captured on town centre CCTV, which was played in court.

Simon Barrett, prosecuting, had told the court how, on Sunday evening at 11pm on May 9 three Asian boys were sat on concrete benches in the square in front of the town hall.

Cullen and Sharples, riding bicycles from the direction of Newport Street, came to a halt in front of them.

"Patrick Cullen was the main offender and, during what was a prolonged incident, he threatened to stab them with a knife, which he produced. He repeatedly punched all three victims, mainly to the head and face whilst demanding each one of them hand over their phones and money," said Mr Barrett.

Sharples did not take a knife out of his pocket but verbally took part in the robberies, during which the frightened boys were racially abused.

All boys were injured and, in victim statements, told how they are now afraid to go out.

"In addition to sustaining injury, each was terrified, and in light of the racial abuse that was directed at them, believed that they had been targeted for this reason," stated Judge Walsh.

Mr Barrett said one boy said that he had "previously always felt accepted and never felt discrimination from others and this means he now feels out of place."

Mr Hornby arrived on the scene during the robberies and intervened, attempting to calm the situation for several minutes before taking an opportunity to try and seize the knife Cullen had in his hand.

But the attackers turned on him, Sharples hitting out with a bottle and kicking him to the ground and Cullen repeatedly stabbing him.

Mr Hornby managed to get away, heading across the square towards Old Hall Street, and tried to alert other people to contact police. But Cullen and Sharples, after retrieving their cycles, headed after him, demanding money and a mobile phone from him.

"Cullen again produced a knife to threaten Mr Hornby, who eventually handed over all the money he had, just £2," said Mr Barrett. Sharples hit out at him and Cullen slashed at his legs with his three-inch bladed knife.

Miraculously, Mr Hornby was not severely injured but, in a victim statement, said that he has not been able to return to work and now suffers from PTSD and has muscle spasms in his legs.

"Although the physical injuries did not require inpatient treatment, the consequences of the attack upon him could have been catastrophic," Judge Walsh told the attackers.

"It is clear that the psychological impact upon him has been significant."

The court heard that Cullen, of no fixed address, has 33 previous convictions for 62 offences, mainly for theft and, at the time of the robberies, was on licence having just been released from a prison sentence for commercial burglaries.

Colin Buckle, defending, said he had given up drink and drugs and, on the day of the robberies, had gone to buy a sandwich and soft drink but had been tempted by a bottle of Jack Daniels, which he shared with Sharples.

Mr Buckle described Cullen as "immature", adding, "On one night he made this horrendous decision".

Mark Friend, defending Sharples, of Shaw Road, Horwich, stressed that he has not committed any previous offences and met up that day with Cullen, who he had not seen for some time.

"It is a decision which Mr Sharples will regret for many years," he said.

Judge Walsh stated that Cullen had played a leading role in the crimes and, when stabbing Mr Hornby, intended to cause him really serious injury.

He told him: "The offences for which you fall to be sentenced involved the gratuitous and intentional infliction of violence.

"In stabbing Mr Hornby you intended to cause him serious injury. Furthermore, the knifepoint robbery of Mr Hornby was committed at a time when it must have been apparent to you that he had been wounded in the earlier attack."

The judge told Sharples that, although he did not brandish a knife or stab Mr Hornby, he was jointly involved in the robberies.