TWO Liverpool University students who beat up a football supporter have failed in their bids to be freed from jail, despite telling judges their futures were in tatters.

Lawyers for James Michael Donoghue, 21, who is reading politics, and law student Alexander Heskett, 21, told Mr Justice David Clarke and Mr Justice Foskett, sitting at the Criminal Appeal Court in London, that unless they were immediately released their careers would be ruined.

The two from Penny Lane, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Liverpool Crown Court on January 30 this year. Heskett was given 27 weeks imprisonment and Donoghue 26 weeks detention.

But Mr Justice Clarke refused both their applications for permission to appeal yesterday.

The court heard a row broke out between two groups of supporters after a Liverpool v Chelsea match at Anfield, and the students were seen kicking an unconscious man on the ground.

Heskett’s barrister said unless his sentence was suspend, Heskett would be barred from a career in the law.

Donoghue’s lawyers said he would miss his final exams if he were not freed.

Mr Justice Clarke said: “We fully realise the consequences for the applicants, but we cannot say that the sentences were wrong in principle or manifestly excessive.”