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Three thugs face jail term for trying to kill Kurdish-Iranian student in south London - File photo Victor / Flickr

Three thugs are facing jail terms after being found guilty of almost killing a Kurdish-Iranian asylum seeker waiting for a bus in a racist attack in south London.

Reker Ahmed, and two of his friends, Hamo Mustafa and Dilshad Mohammed, were told to "go back to your own country" before they were set upon outside The Goat Pub, in Croydon, south London.

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The 17-year-old was left fighting for his life with a brain haemorrhage, a fractured spine and facial injuries after the trio was confronted by a gang of up to 12 people, a jury was told.

George Walder, 23, Lliam Neylon, 19, and Kurt Killick, 18, all from Croydon, were each convicted of two counts of violent disorder while three other defendants were acquitted of the same charge on Thursday (9 November).

During the trial, at Croydon Crown Court, prosecution barrister Jonathan Polnay labelled the attack "disgraceful acts of violence and thuggery".

Ahmed, who was left with "life-changing" injuries, was punched and kicked in the attack as he and his friends waited for a bus to take them into nearby Kingston for a night out.

BBC News reported that before the fight, Ahmed and his friends had been talking to another group of people in the pub, on Broom Road, and the fight began when the group found out they were from Iran and Iraq, according to Mustafa.

During the trial, Walder admitted he threw the first punch striking Mustafa, with Ahmed managing to flee the assault, until the gang caught up with him.

Mustafa dialled 999 from a nearby garden and heard a woman screaming at the thugs "stop it, you're killing him" as Ahmed shouted for help, reported the Daily Mail.

Killick was alleged to have stamped on his head, causing serious internal injuries, but he was cleared of grievous bodily harm with intent, during the same trial.

Prosecutor Jonanthan Polnay said: "It must have been eight against one. This was no fight. It was a brutal, unjustified, and unjustifiable assault. Pack mentality took hold -- and it turned into a mob beating."

At the conclusion of the trial, Daryl Davis, 21, his sister Danyelle Davis, 24, and Kyran Evans 23, were acquitted of the violent disorder charges.

Walder, Neylor and Killick will be sentenced along with James Neves, 23, who earlier admitted violent disorder.