THE Chronicle's student reporters took to the streets of Chelmsford to ask the public: "Is a two-year jail sentence enough for an attack that means a man can no longer walk, talk or eat?"
The poll by Kristofer Sear, Natalia Day and Cameron Frost revealed 75 per cent of 320 people thought the sentence was too soft because on good behaviour the attacker will serve half the sentence.
Just under a quarter thought two years was the right sentence, while one per cent of people were undecided.
Janet Sedgwick, 65, a retail assistant from Moulsham, said: "It's terrible if you think of the family not knowing how he could turn out. It's such a shame."
Albert Jein, 52, an electric and gas supplier from Chelmsford, said: "It could be one punch or 20. It's very unfortunate."
Sam Wriggles- worth, 20, a charity worker from Boreham, said: "Though it's an unlikely event to happen, the police have got to do something about it. A year is just not enough, but I don't know what kind of rigmarole they've got to go through."
Danny Rising, 18, a retail adviser from Chelmsford, said: "There seems to be an increasing amount of petty crimes occurring.
"It may be a primal instinct to physically defend your loved ones. But random acts of violence I don't get, they're ridiculous."
Elliot James, 19, a retail adviser from Chelmsford, said: "I don't understand how people can be so violent."
Lawrence Blake, 25, a computer programmer from Chelmsford, said: "It's a worry, I've managed to avoid things, but you always hear these stories in Chelmsford. I don't understand what goes through someone's head, do they think of the consequences?"
Rosie Stramton, 22, a sales assistant from Chelmsford, said: "As time goes on I've noticed more and more of these fights.
"It's quite off-putting, you never want to be involved."
She added: "It's like some people just try to prove they're alpha males."
Philip Wagstaff, 52, a retired journalist from Chelmsford, said: "There's always been violence and I don't think it's getting any better.
"Perhaps you've got to look up the hierarchy, what is the Government doing? Privatisation of the prison service… you can see its effects, it's such a disgrace."
Keith Leverett, 69, retired, from Tollesbury, said: "A year is disgusting; in this day and age people are getting away with anything.
"Some people go into a bar or club and they drink so much that they lose all their respect. They think nothing of hitting someone."
Florence Lisa, 35, a charity worker from Kent, said: "A one-year sentence is absolutely diabolical.
"The justice system makes me sick, to believe people get off lightly for such things."
