THREE self-styled vigilantes have been jailed for a total of more than eight years for beating up a man they wrongly branded a paedophile in his own home.

Violence flared late after the trio, who had been attending a wedding reception at a nearby club, attacked Christopher Peters.

Southampton Crown Court heard that Mr Peters had become so concerned at the vendetta being waged against him by people living on his Hampshire estate that he installed a security camera at his house.

That night the CCTV showed James Nicholson jnr shouting abuse and knocking over his fence.

Mr Peters went outside to make repairs but Nicholson jnr jumped over the fence and as accomplice Andrew Smith held him, he was punched during a violent struggle.

The victim managed to get back indoors and called the police. A few minutes later there was a knock on the front door and Mr Peters, believing it to be the police, opened it to be confronted by Nicholson's father, also called James, who attacked him.

He was bundled through the hall into the kitchen where Nicholson snr punched him repeatedly. The other two men went into the sitting room where Smith held the victim's son, Anthony, by the scruff of the neck and Nicholson jnr hit him in the face and body.

The three men left the house on the Netley View estate in Hythe taking the CCTV tape, which was later found destroyed.

Mr Peters said the abuse he had suffered at being labelled a paedophile had left him feeling "useless and scared". He was devastated and shocked by the assault and did not want to view his injuries in a mirror.

Nicholson snr, a 52-year-old former soldier, of Cedar Road, Hythe, was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm and burglary. Said to have ten previous offences, including wounding and causing actual bodily harm, he was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

His 19-year-old son, also of Cedar Road, who admitted causing damage, burglary, causing actual bodily harm and inflicting grievous bodily harm, was sent to prison for 28 months. He had eight previous convictions for 11 offences including theft, causing damage and using threatening words or behaviour.

Smith, 23, of Vanguard Road, Southampton, received 32 months after pleading guilty to causing actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm. He had 15 previous convictions for more than 30 offences that included assaulting police and using threatening words or behaviour.

Passing sentence, Judge John Boggis QC stressed that Mr Peters "is not and has never been a paedophile. Even if he was, it should not cause members of the community to work out their prejudices and vengeance on him."

In mitigation for Nicholson jnr, Christopher Rimmer said the teenager's abuse of cannabis had affected his thinking and behaviour and he had been at a low point after the break up of a relationship with his girlfriend.

"There was a misconception about the victim. That doesn't excuse him but he acted in a mistaken belief and now accepts he has been stupid. His remand in custody has been a wake up call and he is remorseful."

Smith denied throwing punches but accepted he had grabbed Anthony Peters by the scruff of the neck and by trying to pull Christopher Peters off the younger Nicholson, he had "facilitated" the attack on him.

Abigail Husbands, defending, said he had written a letter to Mr Peters and his family. "He not only regrets his action but is ashamed of them."

Christopher Baur, mitigating for Nicholson snr, said he had gone completely over the top. He had spent six months in custody and as a result would probably lose his house because he and his wife couldn't meet mortgage payments."