A Hillsborough judge sentenced a 21-year-old Clearwater man to house arrest and probation Monday for attacking three men after a gay pride event last July.

Earlier this month, Devin Scott Angus pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated battery and battery with evidence of prejudice, a hate crime. He could have faced up to 30 years in prison.

Prosecutor John Terry asked the judge to give Angus a four-year prison sentence.

Instead, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe sentenced Angus to two years of house arrest followed by four years' probation and 500 hours of community service.

The victims, all St. Petersburg men, were leaving a party at the Florida Aquarium when Angus confronted them in a Channelside parking garage.

Before attacking the men, Angus taunted them by dropping his pants and screaming obscenities. Sonny Gonzales received a head laceration, Stephen Hair suffered a skull fracture, a split sinus and a broken front tooth, and Scott Boswell got a split lip.

At the sentencing hearing Monday, Angus tearfully apologized to the victims, saying he was drunk when he attacked them and didn't know why he did it. He said he did not hate them.

The victims wanted Angus to serve prison time. In court, Gonzales showed the scar on his head that remained from the attack and described the lingering emotional trauma. He said he doubted he could attend another gay pride event for fear of violence.

(Tampa, Florida) A 21 year old man has been sentenced to house arrest and probation after a vicious attack on three men who were leaving a Tampa gay pride event last July.

The light sentence shocked Devin Scott Angus's three victims. He had faced up to 30 years in prison. Angus, 21, pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges of aggravated battery and battery with evidence of prejudice, a hate crime.

Prosecutor John Terry asked the judge to give Angus a four-year prison sentence. Angus's attorney, Tim Taylor, asked the judge to give Angus two years in prison.

Instead, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe sentenced Angus to two years house arrest, probation and 500 hours of community service.

The victims, all St. Petersburg men, were leaving a party at the Florida Aquarium when Angus confronted them in a nearby parking garage.

In court, Gonzales showed the scar on his head that remains from the attack and described the lingering emotional trauma. He said he doubted he could attend another gay pride event for fear of violence.

All three men said they were shocked Angus did not receive prison time.

"I hope this judge isn't involved in any other discrimination cases, because evidently he doesn't know how to handle these," said Hair. The 26 year old has been to the dentist 20 times to repair teeth knocked out by the beating he took from Angus.

A 21-year-old Clearwater man pleaded guilty Monday to charges stemming from an attack on three men who were leaving a gay pride event last July.

Devin Scott Angus could face up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced April 21. He pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated battery with great bodily harm and four counts of battery with evidence of prejudice, a hate crime.

The victims, all St. Petersburg men, were leaving a party at the Florida Aquarium when Angus attacked them in a Channelside parking garage, authorities said.