Justice for Josh Morgan: Express & Star will fight tooth and nail for attack victim

And today the Express & Star launches its Justice for Josh campaign, calling for the sentences to be reviewed and to raise awareness of this shocking case. Josh's attackers could be out of jail within months.

His mother Clare Simpson said today: "It was a devastating blow to see the low sentences handed out at court. The response by the community in supporting Josh is amazing. Our family backs any efforts to get Justice of Josh."

The campaign has been backed by Cannock Chase MP Amanda Milling, who is raising the case with the Justice Secretary Michael Gove.

Josh, from Cannock, can only communicate by eye movements and is limited to moving his head and forearms after the unprovoked attack in his home town in March last year. Despite the severity of his injuries, his attackers James Robb and Alistair Douglas were given prison sentences of just three years and 27 months respectively. Because the two men, who pleaded guilty, spent nearly a year electronically tagged, they will walk free in nine and two months respectively.

The Crown Prosecution Service had initially charged the men with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent which carried a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. But prosecutors later opted for the lesser inflicting grievous bodily harm charge which carried a maximum jail term of five years.

Meanwhile Josh, who was aged just 20 at the time, has to live with his injuries for the rest of his life. He requires round-the-clock care.

Express & Star editor Keith Harrison said: "In my 20 years plus as a journalist in the West Midlands, I have never seen such pitiful prison sentences handed to two thugs who have destroyed the life of an affable and bright lad.

"The Express & Star will fight tooth and nail to secure justice for Josh and his family and spread awareness of their case."