Three men who attacked a man with the handles of a broom while he slept have been jailed for six years each.

The incident happened at a property in Hamer Street, Gravesend in September last year.

Mostafa Abdulrahman-Alsherani, 19, of Cambridge Road in Enfield, Adham Mohamad, 21, of Rochester Street in Chatham and Jawad Talaghi, 21, of Elliott Street in Gravesend were sentenced at Basildon Crown Court earlier this month after being found guilty of robbery.

The court heard how the men entered the home between 2am and 3am on Tuesday, September 19.

They went to the bedroom and began tapping the victim's head with a knife before striking him several times with a broom handle and a machete handle.

The victim managed to overpower the offenders and escape.

Two mobile phones, a quantity of cash and a speaker were stolen before the defendants got away.

A police car on routine patrol was stopped by the victim. The offenders left the scene in a Mercedes and narrowly avoided a collison with a police car which was travelling in Saddington Street.

Officers followed the car before it came to a stop in The Grove, and two men tried to get away on foot.

Abdulrahman-Alsherani was found hiding behind a wall in Wellington Street. Officers at the scene rang one of the stolen phones which was in his pocket, before arresting him.

Two days later, officers conducted a search of the address he was staying in and Talaghi was arrested. he admitted his involvement while in custody and was charged with driving a conveyance taken without consent. He recieved a three month prison sentence which will be served concurrently.

On October 12, Mohammed was arrested at his home.

Detective Constable Rebecca Veares, the investigating officer for this offence, said: "These three men each made a conscious decision to enter the victim’s home and threaten him with weapons while he was sleeping – a time when he was most vulnerable.

"The serious nature of this offence proves they are capable of committing violent offences and it is entirely appropriate that they have received this sentence.’