These are the horrific injuries suffered by a father-of-one who was beaten unconscious by three bat-wielding thugs because his ex-girlfriend mistakenly thought he was backing out of babysitting duties.

Daniel Chapman's three-year-old daughter was asleep upstairs when his ex-girlfriend's new partner Luke Kirby and his two brothers Harry and Jamie burst into the property and began beating the 30-year-old with the metal baseball bat.

As the three men launched the savage attack, Mr Chapman's ex-partner Zoe Gray stormed into the property and took the little girl.

These are the horrific injuries sustained by a father-of-one who was beaten unconscious by three bat-wielding thugs because his ex-girlfriend mistakenly thought he was backing out of babysitting their daughter

Harry then sent a text message to a friend which read: 'Just literally ripped a man's eyebrow and eyelid off, his lips, his cheeks, with mine and Jamie's bare hands.'

The attack came after Ms Gray misinterpreted a text message from Mr Chapman and believed he was no longer willing to look after their daughter on another evening.

Photographs taken in hospital show Mr Chapman with blood all over his face, alongside horrific injuries, including swollen eyes and severely cut lips.

Luke, 22, Jamie, 19, and Harry Kirby, 20, have now been jailed for five years after pleading guilty to GBH.

Luke Kirby launched the attack because Zoe Gray (with whom he is pictured left and right) - his girlfriend and the former partner of Mr Chapman - believed Mr Chapman was shirking his babysitting duties

Speaking as his attackers were jailed, Mr Chapman described how he had been in fear of his life as he was attacked.

'I looked like the devil possessed after they had finished with me,' he said. 'My head swelled up to the size of a football and that's no exaggeration. I was covered in blood from head to toe.

'I was in fear of my life that night. I actually believed I was going to die.'

Luke Kirby, 22, has been jailed for five years for carrying out the brutal attack

He added: 'I remember telling them that I'd had enough, but they just carried on. They were just like savage animals. It was not until my mum turned up that they left.'

The assault took place in August last year outside the flat in Hull that Mr Chapman shared with his mother.

He answered the door at about 1am and was confronted by the foursome. The three men then used used a metal baseball bat to beat Mr Chapman, leaving him drifting in and out of consciousness.

He said: 'You hear the expression, "to beat someone senseless". Well, let me tell you - it actually exists. After a while, I didn't feel anything.

'I saw flashes of light and had ringing in my ears. I was drifting in and out of consciousness.

'It was about 30 minutes after the attack that the pain kicked in. That pain was excruciating.'

Hull Crown Court was told that, as he was leaving the scene, Harry Kirby sent a number of boastful texts describing the violence.

One read: 'I have never in my life seen so much blood pour from a man. It literally LITERALLY covered the road.'

He also boasted: 'I smell of his blood.'

Mr Chapman was rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary, where he had 13 stitches to his eye. His lower right eye socket was smashed and he may need surgery in the future.

Despite his injuries, Mr Chapman said the biggest impact of the attack has been on his family life.

Jamie (left), 19, and Harry Kirby (right) joined in with the attack. Harry sent a text message after which read: 'Just literally ripped a man's eyebrow and eyelid off, his lips, his cheeks, with mine and Jamie's bare hands'

'I couldn't see my daughter for a month,' he said. 'I couldn't let her see me like that. That really hurt.'

Mr Chapman said he also had to quit his job as a tyre technician and now works as a bench hand for Marble Building Products.

'This would never have happened if my ex-girlfriend had just stayed at home that night,' he said.