Troy Mangal, Ibrahim Jama and Yousef Musa raided Lena Stores, in Ferntower Road, in December to get more booze after a heavy night drinking and used kitchen knives to threaten the shopkeeper Askok Patel.

Mr Patel, 64, a popular figure in Newington Green, grabbed a baseball bat and fought them out of his shop, but when he slipped over the three thugs ran back in and one started stabbing him repeatedly in his head.

The much-loved tradesman suffered a deep wound to his head, bleeding on the brain and still can’t use his hand properly.

Passing sentence at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Lyndsey Burns said: “The three of you had been drinking excessively and together, and may have been taking illegal drugs.

“Early that same morning the thee of you decided you needed to go out and get more alcohol, so you left the house and went round to the local corner shop.

You were intending to commit a violent robbery, because the jury has heard clear evidence you took knives with you.”

He added: “You immediately threatened the shopkeeper, Mr Patel, an elderly man. Mr Patel courageously resisted in the only way he could, to protect himself and his property.

“He had resorted to a baseball bat to drive you out of his shop.

“Up to a point he was successful but unfortunately for him there came a point when he slipped and fell over and at that point you re-entered his shop

“Whilst he was helpless on the ground, there followed a knife attack on him in which you, Mangal, wielded a knife.

“He was doing what he could to protect himself but you managed to get the baseball off him and you can be seen hitting him with that

“All of this while he was helpless on the floor.”

“This was an attack of the utmost seriousness.”

The attackers got away with £220, milk tokens, and alcohol.

Police tracked two suspects down to a nearby house. When they burst in, one froze while the other climbed up scaffolding at the back of the house onto the roof, where he fell off.

Clothes “quite literally soaked in the blood of Mr Patel” were found nearby.

Judge Burns said: “You deliberately set out to commit a robbery on a vulnerable person trying to run his corner shop.

“It was planned, and it was brutal.”

Mangal, of Caledonian Road, Holloway, admitted robbery and causing GBH with intent, and was given a nine year sentence for the robbery and 12 years for GBH, to run concurrently.

Yousef Musa, 25, of Halton Road, Canonbury, and Ibrahim Jama, 23, of Mingard Walk, Holloway, were unanimously both found guilty of robbery and causing GBH with intent.

Jama was handed a 10 year term for the robbery and 12 years for the GBH, to run concurrently, while Musa was given 10 years for the robbery and 10 years for the GBH, to run concurrently.