Two brothers who carried out an unprovoked and racially motivated attack on a man, leaving him with a punctured lung, have been jailed.

Woolwich Crown Court heard how Ronnie Hansen, of Lawes Way, Barking, and Robert Hansen, of Chilcot Close, Poplar, were part of a group who met in Follett Street, Poplar, on June 19 last year.

Their 32-year-old victim confronted Ronnie, 22, after he greeted one of the group by a racial term as he walked down the road.

An argument broke out but the situation calmed down and the group, including the victim, walked to an underpass running between Follett Street and the A12.

They sat chatting and drinking but shortly after 2.30am the victim was attacked, suffering five stab wounds to his back, thigh and chest.

He was left alone and bleeding in the deserted pathway but managed to drag himself to the main road and hail down a taxi and a moped, with emergency services being called.

He was taken to hospital where he remained for two weeks suffering complications from a punctured lung sustained in the attack.

Detectives began an investigation and Ronnie was arrested a month later. Robert, 29, was not arrested until October.

Following a trial, Ronnie was found guilty of attempted murder and on Friday, was jailed for 16 years.

Robert was found guilty of GBH and jailed for 12 years.

Det Con Simon Maude said: “This was an unprovoked and racially motivated attack and one which the victim is fortunate to have survived.

“There is no place on our streets for this kind of senseless violence and we will do all we can to prosecute those who commit these crimes.

“This attack has had a significant emotional and physical impact on the victim who has had to move to another area and we hope this sentencing will bring him some kind of closure.”