A Bermudian doctor beaten unconscious in the middle of Hamilton by three young men and then robbed of his possessions fears for Bermuda?s future and has considered leaving the Island as a result of the late night assault.

Three men aged 20 and 21 who admitted their roles in the assault and subsequent robbery have been given jail terms ranging from six months to three years by a Supreme Court judge.

In a statement read out in court the doctor who was assaulted and robbed said: ?I have always been proud of being Bermudian, but the attack has made me doubt Bermuda?s future and I have thought of emigrating.?

Dr. J. J. Soares was enjoying a social night out when he was confronted by a group of young men, two of whom said they were going to take his money, before he was repeatedly hit and knocked unconscious.

He was set upon at the Emporium Building in Front Street in the early hours of July 9, 2004.

Crown counsel Anthony Blackman told the court the doctor had visited the Robin Hood bar, Little Venice restaurant and Coconut Rock bar before making his way to the Emporium Building to get some food at a cafe inside.

However, the cafe was closed and as he was leaving the building the doctor was confronted by five young men, two of whom said: ?We?re going to take your money.?

Dr. Soares, of Sandys, could only remember being hit from behind and waking up later in King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where he required stitches to cuts he had received to his face. His injuries also included a number of chipped teeth.

The doctor discovered his wallet, which was said to be worth $200 and contained $300 in cash, was missing, as was his wedding ring, Motorola pager and keys.

Twins Jeron Marcus Douglas and Jevon Marco Douglas, 20, whose address at the time of the incident was My Lord?s Bay Lane, Hamilton Parish, and their friend Niedel Kevon Swan, 21, of Crawl Point Lane West, Hamilton Parish, admitted to Police their part in the assault during the days that followed the attack.

Mr. Blackman said Swan told Police he had been out on the town at the time and was ?only feeling nice and not drunk? and claimed Dr. Soares, who is white, had made a racist comment as he walked past so he had slapped him in the face and then ?everything got hectic? and he admitted continuing to slap the doctor around the face five or six times even after Dr. Soares had fallen to the ground.

Unemployed Swan later admitted he had taken the doctor?s wallet but denied he had taken the pager, keys or wedding ring.

Jevon Douglas, a labourer, also claimed to Police that a racist remark had sparked the aggression and he admitted slapping, punching and kicking the doctor.

Jeron Douglas, also a labourer, said he had turned around and seen the assault and got caught up in the emotion of the moment, striking Dr. Soares three times but then trying to stop his brother and Swan from continuing to hit the doctor.

Mr. Blackman told the court that since the attack Dr. Soares now locked the doors of his car when he is driving and is wary of coming into Hamilton at night and has considered emigrating.

The possessions the doctor lost that night were worth $1,000 and he had to take three days off work as a GP ? losing $10,500 of income.

The Douglas twins and Swan had drunk alcohol on the night of the assault, which had gone someway to affecting their behaviour, said defence lawyer Mark Pettingill in mitigation.

He said: ?These three young men do not want to follow this type of life, they had too much to drink, they did not go out planning to assault anyone. They would all like to take back what happened to Dr. Soares that night.

Asked by Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves if they had anything to say for themselves the three defendants each offered their apologies to the doctor.

Mr. Justice Greaves reviewed the trio?s previous convictions and said it appeared that success, if any, in steering away from a life of crime had been ?slow and low?.

Swan, who pleaded guilty to robbery with violence, was jailed for three years. Jevon Douglas, who pleaded guilty to assault, was jailed for nine months. Jeron Douglas, who pleaded guilty to assault, was jailed for six months.