Four Australians, who were sentenced to a combined jail term of almost 65 years for a near-fatal attack on an Indian-origin doctor and a series of other assaults here, have appealed against their punishment calling it “manifestly excessive.”

The four Alfer Jude Azzopardi, Michael Baltatzis, Sean Gabriel and Lee McGuigan had each pleaded guilty to a series of armed robbery and bashing offences in which 34 people were attacked at knife point or assaulted with bars, poles and a baseball bat in 2008.

In sentencing three of the men – then aged 20 – Judge Joe Gullaci of the County Court in 2009 handed the main leader Azzopardi a maximum sentence of over 18 years’ jail with a minimum of over 13 years – one of the longest given to a young offender.

Azzopardi had hit Indian-origin doctor Mukesh Haikerwal on his head with a baseball bat and left him fighting for his life after scolding another of the attackers for not hitting him hard enough.

McGuigan, who was at 21 the oldest and who was said to have deliberately scarred his victims, was sentenced last year by County Court Judge Tony Duckett to 21 years with an 18-year minimum.

Baltatzis was given a over 16-year term with a minimum of 10 and a half year; and Gabriel received six years with a nine-year maximum for his role in one night of the gang’s attacks.

The gang targeted people mainly walking at night in Melbourne’s western suburbs and stole mobile phones, iPods and cash during the crimes between March and April in 2008.

McGuigan, formerly of Ferntree Gully, was on parole when he used weapons including a claw hammer, box cutter and meat cleaver to hit and cut his victims and was secretly taped, even after his arrest, bragging about his crimes and discussing how to commit the perfect armed robbery on a soft target.

While seeking a reduction in the sentences on Thursday, lawyers on behalf of the men told the Court of Appeal the prison terms were in the “irresponsible range, “manifestly excessive” and the youth of the offenders was not given proper weight, ‘Herald Sun’ reported.

Theo Kassimatis, the lawyer for Azzopardi, said the “crushing” jail term could result in his client’s psychological condition developing into a personality disorder which would make jail “more onerous” for him.

Justices Robert Redlich, Paul Coghlan and Cameron Macaulay have reserved their decision.