A TEENAGER headbutted an injured man as he was on his way to hospital to be treated for an earlier assault outside a pub, a court has heard.

Luke Todd headbutted the bleeding man outside of Quinn’s in Spennymoor in the early hours of November 11 last year, magistrates in Newton Aycliffe were told.

The unprovoked attack occurred half an hour after the victim had been knocked to the ground by a flurry of punches to his face thrown by Jordan Wheatley, the court heard.

Neither Todd, 19, from Dean Park in Ferryhill, nor Wheatley, 20, of School Close in Spennymoor knew each other nor the victim, the court heard.

Alan Davison, who was prosecuting Wheatley, said the victim and a friend were followed out of the pub by Wheatley, who then punched him “for no fathomable reason”.

Mr Davison said Wheatley punched the man repeatedly in the face causing the victim to fall backwards and crack his head open on a metal bar.

The prosecutor said the man had an eight centimetre cut across the back of his head which required staples.

Wheatley admitted assaulting the man causing actual bodily harm and a second charge of assaulting the victim’s friend when he attempted to intervene.

His solicitor Andrew Clinton said everyone involved was drunk and words had been exchanged between Wheatley and the victim earlier.

The two injured men went back into the pub to receive first aid, then left about half an hour later to go to the hospital.

Andrea Milsom, prosecuting Todd, said the teenager walked up to the man outside Quinn’s and headbutted him knocking him to the ground again.

She said the man was obviously injured from the first attack, and although the headbutt did not cause further injury, it was a serious attack on an already vulnerable victim.

In a statement read to the court by Ms Milsom, the victim said he was afraid to go out socialising with friends as he feared future attacks and he was not sure if he would still be able to join the Royal Navy due to the injuries he suffered.

In mitigation, the court heard Todd had been drunk and extremely remorseful about the attack.

He was ordered to pay a £90 fine, £85 costs, £50 compensation and £20 victim surcharge.

Magistrates adjourned Wheatley’s sentencing until March 7 for a report to be prepared.

He was given unconditional bail.