A judge decided against jailing two brothers who took part in a vigilante gang attack after seeing glowing references about the duo's community work.

Razaqat Shah, 26, and his brother Nazaqut, 21, had been part of a gang of five who kidnapped three teenagers and submitted them to a frightening and humiliating attack.

The youngsters, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were driven away in a hire car by a group of five men on Christmas Eve 2003, taken to the Devil's Rock landmark near Bingley and told to strip to their underwear.

Deputy District Judge John Sawyer said they planned to inflict retribution and punishment on the boys who were believed to have been responsible for a graffiti attack at the older brother's home in Lydgate Drive, Great Horton, Bradford.

Bradford Magistrates Court heard yesterday that the three youths - aged 15, 16 and 17 - were kicked and punched during their ordeal before being returned to their homes.

Nazaqut Shah, of Aireville Drive, Frizinghall, and his older brother had each denied three charges of common assault. But after a trial last month Deputy District Judge Sawyer found them guilty of all the offences.

Both men were of previous good character and their solicitor Michael Reeves yesterday handed in a series of references confirming their involvement in community work.

Deputy District Judge Sawyer described the references as impressive and said they supported his view that the duo came from a family highly regarded in the community.

He said he had originally thought of sending the two men into custody for their part in the attack, but their previous good character and the references had persuaded him to draw back from prison sentences.

Instead the brothers were made the subject of 12-month community rehabilitation orders. They will also have to do 100 hours' community service work and pay £200 each towards the costs of their trial.

Deputy District Judge Sawyer noted that the brothers had not gone overboard in the amount of violence used towards the boys, but said the circumstances of the assaults must have been frightening and embarrassing.

"I have no doubt that this incident continues, and probably will continue, to prey on their minds for some considerable time," he told the brothers. "The young men were humiliated, but of course that was your intention...to exact retribution and punishment on these young lads. I make it clear this is unacceptable vigilante behaviour."

He told the brothers they had let themselves down severely, but said he did not think they would be back before the courts.

The court heard that Razaqat Shah had undergone police checks as part of his work with a local youth forum and Deputy District Judge Sawyer said his position might have to be re-assessed after his conviction.

But he told him: "As far as I am concerned, this matter was out of character. I don't consider that you are a danger to youths. You basically, to use the vernacular, just lost it on this one occasion and acted out of character."