A mother has expressed her anger at the sentences handed down to two teenagers who badly assaulted her son.

Aaron Scanlan, 17, was attacked near a sandpit in Sheerness while walking with his girlfriend and younger brother.

He needed an operation for a broken nose after the unprovoked attack and has also been left with a non-epileptic seizure disorder.

Now a 15-year-old and 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been sentenced after admitting causing grievous bodily harm at Maidstone Magistrates' Court.

The boys were ordered to serve two months in a juvenile detention centre, followed by two-month training orders.

Aaron's mother Alison Scanlan believes the sentence was not fair on her son.

She said: "I was shocked because we were told that they could face up to two years in prison. To hear it was only two months was very disappointing.

"It just doesn't seem fair that they get just four months and yet my son has got a life sentence.

"I was shocked because we were told that they could face up to two years in prison. To hear it was only two months was very disappointing..." - mother Alison Scanlan

"My son is only small. He doesn't fight. He would rather walk away than have someone hit him. It has changed him. He's a very angry person."

Mrs Scanlan said a group of 10 youngsters set upon Aaron before two of them started hitting him in the head and face.

She said her other son called her and she went to meet them in Broadway, Sheerness.

Police were called and took statements before Aaron was left in his mother's care. It was later discovered he had a broken nose and the former Westlands School pupil had to undergo an operation.

Mrs Scanlan, from Minster, said her son has suffered lasting effects from the assault - including non-epileptic seizure disorder, which can cause him to go into a fit when he is stressed.

He also suffered from depression, she said, after the attack in Beach Street at about 7.30pm on April 19 last year.

She said her son is afraid to leave the house now, but before the attack would help at Restoration Youth in Sheerness.

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