THE family of a former Oxford United footballer last night said the conviction of his four attackers would help them move on.

A Greek court yesterday found four Britons guilty of attacking Rob Hughes with such ferocity he was left brain damaged in a coma.

Mr Hughes lost his memory following the beating, which took place in Malia, Crete, while he was on holiday in 2008. The 32-year-old was stabbed with a bottle and had his head stamped on.

Curtis Taylor, Sean Branton, Daniel Bell, and Joe Bruckland, all from Surrey, were convicted of causing grievous bodily harm and sentenced to four years’ jail, suspended pending an appeal against their convictions and sentence.

Rob’s mother Margaret said: “We’ve come over here and got the verdict we wanted to get. It wasn’t about 50 years in a prison. “It was about getting that guilty verdict, that meant everything to me.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. This part of our life is over. I’m never going to get the son back that I had. I can’t get the old Robert back. But I don’t carry the burden around with me.”

Lawyers representing Taylor, Branton and Bell said an appeal had been lodged immediately following the verdict. The appeal process normally takes about a year to complete.