THREE members of the same family have each been jailed for nearly four years for pulling a man from a taxi and beating him up in a "sickening" drink and drug fuelled attack.

After watching CCTV of the York city centre violence Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said the victim had “run for his life” along Rougier Street with Kevin Alan Frank Nelson, 31, starting the charge of the attackers behind him.

When he took refuge in a taxi on Tanners’ Moat, Nelson with his sister Rachel, 27, and their uncle Paul Jamie Normington, 35, dragged him out onto the ground where all three had targeted his head.

“He was kicked so many times that I lost count,” the judge said at York Crown Court. “He was punched by you, Normington, so many times that I lost count. It was a sickening assault to watch.”

When passers-by along Lendal Bridge objected to the trio’s actions, the three had “berated” them and tried to justify their actions, before walking off with the victim’s phone and bank card, leaving him lying on the ground.

“There is no getting away from the consequences of such a brutal attack,” the judge said.

He jailed Kevin Nelson, then of Micklegate, York, Rachel Nelson, of New York Road, Leeds, and Normington, of Kingsway North, Clifton, for 45 months each.

Rachel Nelson was given an extra month for failure to attend court and was sentenced a week after the others.

All three admitted attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and Kevin Nelson admitted theft. The attack happened from 3.25am on February 24.

Simon Waley, prosecuting, said the victim had “very fortunately” not suffered any fractures. He had suffered swelling, bruises and other injuries.

For Kevin Nelson, who had several previous convictions for violence, Graham Parkin said he had gone teetotal for three years because he recognised he was violent when he'd been drinking. But that evening, he had had something to drink.

“This was the old him,” said the solicitor advocate. Kevin Nelson had reformed himself and would lose his accommodation if jailed.

For removal man Normington, Alex Menary said the incident was out of character. He had taken drugs as well as alcohol that night. The barrister handed in a letter of apology to the victim from Normington.

Sean Smith, for Rachel Nelson, said of her failure to attend court: “It was pure fear of what was due to happen. This young woman has no previous experience of custody.”

He referred the judge to “personal matters” in her pre-sentence report and didn’t go into detail.

The judge said Rachel Nelson had also admitted taking drugs that night.

Door staff had broken up a fight, the cause of which wasn't known, between Kevin Nelson and the victim outside the Salt and Pepper takeaway. That had led to the chase, the court heard.