An innocent man was set upon by a pack of thugs who kicked, punched and stabbed him after leaving a Southend nightclub.

In what was described as a “vicious and ugly” attack, the victim was targeted by a group of men and women, some of whom were never caught, and savagely beaten in the Seaway car park shortly after they all left Talk nightclub.

Although the cause of the violent clash is unknown, harrowing CCTV footage shown to the court suggests there was an innocuous war of words between the victim and the gang before the violence erupted.

Steven McCallister, 26, of Saxon Gardens, Shoebury, removed his top and began punching the man before Monti Hussain, 24, of Boundary Road, Barking, and Daniel Olukanni, 24, of Movers Lane, Barking, joined in.

The victim then fled towards the Queensway roundabout where he was chased by Jack Cater, 23, of Annie Beasant Close, London, and Cory Larnder-Smith, 22, of Stuart Close, Great Wakering, who were described as the protagonists of the attack.

The shocking CCTV footage showed the victim on the ground where he was again punched and kicked while Cater took a running swing kick at his head. Larnder-Smith was then shown stabbing the victim’s back although a weapon was never found.

The victim suffered seven stab wounds to his torso as well as multiple facial fractures. He was in hospital for three days.

Sentencing at Basildon Crown Court yesterday, Judge Ian Graham said: “CCTV shows clearly what happened - it does not show why it happened and that still remains a mystery as to why this violence broke out.

“The victim was in the car park as you all were – maybe something had been said to a woman.

“Either way, fighting broke out. You were acting as a group and targeted him in the car park.

“Jack Cater and Cory Larnder-Smith – you came upon him by the roundabout at a time when he was unable to defend himself and was out of it.”

Cater and Larnder-Smith were convicted of GBH with intent and violent disorder after a trial and were handed six year prison sentences.

McCallister and Hussain admitted one count of violent disorder and were handed a nine-month suspended prison sentence and a community order respectively. Olukanni was convicted after trial of one count of affray and was handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence.