AN 18-year-old trainee electrician involved in a fight in which a man nearly died was spared jail yesterday.

Christopher Lawther was told by a judge that he could have been facing a manslaughter charge because his victim's injuries had been so serious.

Teesside Crown Court heard that David Hyde suffered a fractured skull and needed an operation to remove a blood clot on his brain following the assault on February 20.

Christopher Knox, prosecuting, said Mr Hyde had been out with friends in Guisborough on the night of the attack.

Trouble broke out when his friend, Jamie Oxley, began greeting people in the vicinity in an Australian accent, which one man took an exception to.

Mr Knox said: "Someone, not the defendant, struck Mr Oxley in the face and set about him.

"Mr Hyde went across to see what was going on and, it is apparent from witnesses, he was then assaulted by the defendant.

"He does not remember what happened to him, but his friends described the defendant as going across to him, punching him in the face; punching him a number of times so he started to stagger backwards.

"Having dropped to his knees, the assault continued with a reign of punches."

The victim then fell backwards hitting his head on the road, said Mr Knox.

The court heard Mr Hyde has since recovered from his injuries.

John Gillette, in mitigation, said the teenager knew he had been nearly facing a manslaughter charge and had too much to drink on the night.

He said: "He believes he was under some sort of threat, but he accepts he went too far."

Judge Michael Taylor said he would not jail Lawther, who was of previous good character, because he believed society would benefit more by not taking his liberty.

He said: "He (Mr Hyde) could so easily have died. When people get involved in fights, there is a chance people can fall."

Lawther, of Barnaby Place, Guisborough, was given a 200-hour community punishment order and told to pay £2,000 compensation and £500 costs.

He pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.