COREY Savory and Thomas Vernon are a pair of thugs. They are also clearly a pair of actors.

They kicked and punched a man repeatedly as he lay on the ground, leaving him with permanent scarring.

Then, during a hearing at Teesside Crown Court, they put on a stage-managed show of remorse and duly escaped with a suspended sentence and a £100 fine.

But their real feelings were exposed when they were photographed as they emerged from the court building. This time, they weren't punching a human being – they were punching the air in jubilation at their let-off.

It is no wonder that the vast majority of decent, law-abiding people in this country get so angry about the criminal justice system when barbaric violence results in a mere slap on the wrist, and the thugs responsible are able to react as if they'd just won the lottery.

There is a serious offence in this country called "contempt of court". It means not respecting the authority of courts of law and often results in a jail sentence. Savory and Vernon can't be charged with such an offence because their show of brazen disrespect took place outside the court building.

That is a matter of regret because we suspect a lot of people would like to see them hauled back before the judge for their clear contempt of the criminal justice system and given a more fitting sentence.

It is clear from their reaction that this pair of yobs have not learned their lesson. The chances are that people like them will appear before a criminal court before too long.

If they do, we hope the judge is shown the photograph of them laughing, giving the thumbs up, and punching the air in celebration at the leniency shown to them this week.

And we hope their declarations of remorse, and their inevitable pleas for leniency, are treated with the contempt they deserve.