A TEENAGER told police he would have battered a man with a brick if his father had not broken up their fight, a court has heard.

Shane Connor Dowson admitted assaulting a man by beating when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecutor Phil Morley said the victim had gone to Dowson’s house on Low Row in North Bitchburn armed with a hammer after he saw his £450 cat being carried away by Dowson’s dog on May 1.

The pair came to blows and Mr Morley said 19-year-old Dowson hit the man several times with a dog lead before Dowson’s father intervened.

In interview, Dowson admitted attacking the man and said he would have ended up kicking him in the head and beating him with a brick if the fight had not been stopped.

Dowson’s solicitor Clive Booth said Dowson demonstrates a clear lack of maturity and the statement had been made to act like a big man rather than being something Dowson would have done.

Dowson also admitted using threatening behaviour after another incident outside the Green Tree pub at Billy Row on April 27.

Mr Morley said a police officer saw Dowson and went to speak to him but the teenager started swearing at him before picking up a glass and threatening to attack the officer with it.

Mr Booth said the threat had again been an empty one and Dowson was arrested after a third person removed the glass.

Mr Booth said Dowson had got angry as he felt harassed by the police.

Dowson was given unconditional bail to return to the court next Friday (August 24) for sentencing.