PUBLISHED: . 14:16 EST, 1 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:53 EST, 1 August 2012 . Three 'merciless' thugs battered a pensioner in his bed before stringing him up by his belt and fleeing with just £20, a court heard yesterday. Frail John Savage was asleep in his bed in Loppington, Shropshire, when he was dragged from his bed by the evil trio who shone a torch in his eye. Evil trio Daniel Jones, 21, Matthew Wood, 19, and Christopher Weaver, 18, tied the 77-year-old farmer up by his trouser belt as they rummaged through his pockets and ransacked his home in June last year. Faces of evil: Weaver, 18, Jones, 21, and Wood, 19, tied Mr Savage up before viciously beating him and fleeing his home with just £20 in change . Mr Savage was then frogmarched downstairs, where the gang viciously beat him and stamped on his head during an attack which a judge described as 'the stuff of nightmares'. The yobs then fled with just £20 in change before stealing Mr Savage’s Ford Ranger pickup truck, which they abandoned nearby. On Tuesday, the callous trio were jailed for a total of nearly 23 years at Shrewsbury Crown Court after admitting robbery and other offences. Jailing them, Judge Robin Onions, told the men: 'It’s the stuff of nightmares. 'Someone shining a torch in your eyes who is prepared to use force to steal your property. 'Offences like these are carried out by thugs and cowards.' Wood, from Wem, Shropshire, was jaield for eight years and three months, Weaver, also of Wem, received seven years and 10 month term and Jones, from Shrewsbury, was sentenced to six years and nine months. The court heard Mr Savage suffered bleeding to his brain and needed surgery on his left eye after the attack at his home in Loppington, Shrops., on June 21. Jailed: The three thugs were given a combined prison term of nearly 23 years at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday . Mr Savage, who spent a week recovering from the attack in hospital at the time, is still receiving eye and dental treatment for his horrific injuries a year on. After the case he said: 'It would have been better if they had four or five years hard labour and were fed on bread and water. 'They will have a time of luxury in prison and will have a hell of a better time than me if I were in a nursing home.' Chief Inspector Sarah Wagstaff, of West Mercia Police, said Mr Savage had shown remarkable 'courage and humility'. She said: 'This could easily have been a murder inquiry. 'Mr Savage has shown tremendous fortitude and spirit in the face of this vicious and horrifying ordeal. The three men responsible showed him no mercy. 'Despite his injuries, Mr Savage managed to stagger to a neighbour’s home to raise the alarm. 'He was badly hurt and someone of his age who was not so strong, might not have survived. 'As it is, Mr Savage has made light of his ordeal and his injuries. At times, he has seemed more concerned about the offenders, saying it is such a waste of three young lives. 'You have to admire his steadfastness considering the extent of the violence used against him.'
Frail John Savage, 77, hung by his trouser belt and viciously beaten by gang .
They subjected him to 'the stuff of nightmares' before fleeing with just £20 .
PUBLISHED: . 14:16 EST, 1 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:53 EST, 1 August 2012 . Three 'merciless' thugs battered a pensioner in his bed before stringing him up by his belt and fleeing with just £20, a court heard yesterday. Frail John Savage was asleep in his bed in Loppington, Shropshire, when he was dragged from his bed by the evil trio who shone a torch in his eye. Evil trio Daniel Jones, 21, Matthew Wood, 19, and Christopher Weaver, 18, tied the 77-year-old farmer up by his trouser belt as they rummaged through his pockets and ransacked his home in June last year. Faces of evil: Weaver, 18, Jones, 21, and Wood, 19, tied Mr Savage up before viciously beating him and fleeing his home with just £20 in change . Mr Savage was then frogmarched downstairs, where the gang viciously beat him and stamped on his head during an attack which a judge described as 'the stuff of nightmares'. The yobs then fled with just £20 in change before stealing Mr Savage’s Ford Ranger pickup truck, which they abandoned nearby. On Tuesday, the callous trio were jailed for a total of nearly 23 years at Shrewsbury Crown Court after admitting robbery and other offences. Jailing them, Judge Robin Onions, told the men: 'It’s the stuff of nightmares. 'Someone shining a torch in your eyes who is prepared to use force to steal your property. 'Offences like these are carried out by thugs and cowards.' Wood, from Wem, Shropshire, was jaield for eight years and three months, Weaver, also of Wem, received seven years and 10 month term and Jones, from Shrewsbury, was sentenced to six years and nine months. The court heard Mr Savage suffered bleeding to his brain and needed surgery on his left eye after the attack at his home in Loppington, Shrops., on June 21. Jailed: The three thugs were given a combined prison term of nearly 23 years at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday . Mr Savage, who spent a week recovering from the attack in hospital at the time, is still receiving eye and dental treatment for his horrific injuries a year on. After the case he said: 'It would have been better if they had four or five years hard labour and were fed on bread and water. 'They will have a time of luxury in prison and will have a hell of a better time than me if I were in a nursing home.' Chief Inspector Sarah Wagstaff, of West Mercia Police, said Mr Savage had shown remarkable 'courage and humility'. She said: 'This could easily have been a murder inquiry. 'Mr Savage has shown tremendous fortitude and spirit in the face of this vicious and horrifying ordeal. The three men responsible showed him no mercy. 'Despite his injuries, Mr Savage managed to stagger to a neighbour’s home to raise the alarm. 'He was badly hurt and someone of his age who was not so strong, might not have survived. 'As it is, Mr Savage has made light of his ordeal and his injuries. At times, he has seemed more concerned about the offenders, saying it is such a waste of three young lives. 'You have to admire his steadfastness considering the extent of the violence used against him.'
before stringing him up by his belt and fleeing with just £20, a court heard yesterday. Frail farmer up by his trouser belt as they rummaged 'It’s the stuff of nightmares. 'Someone shining a