A 20-YEAR-OLD man who beat a father and son unconscious in a frenzied attack was locked up for four years yesterday.

John Stephen Pye, of Dene Avenue, Easington Colliery, County Durham, admitted two charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent when he appeared at Durham Crown Court.

Robin Patton, prosecuting, told the court that sometime prior to the attack, Pye and another man had gone to the home of an Easington Colliery family asking for drugs.

The 66-year-old head of the household sent the pair away telling them his family did not deal in drugs.

Later, on March 30, at about 11.30pm, the pensioner had gone out to get coal from his yard when he was approached by Pye who punched him in the face with such force that he knocked him unconscious.

Noise of the attack brought the victim's 42-year-old son to his aid but he was also punched by Pye, who then kicked him until he too was unconscious.

The attacks, Mr Patton said, were witnessed by a passing driver who saw Pye kicking both men in the head before skipping off and shouting "as if he had scored a goal".

Pye returned once more to the victims and kicked the 42-year-old in the head and body before running off.

On arrival at hospital, both men were placed in intensive care.

Defence counsel Paul Cleasby said that Pye, who ten days before the attack had been released on licence following an earlier offence, had managed to secure a job and was fitting back into his family.

But on March 30, he had drunk too much and became involved in the incident, said Mr Cleasby.

Judge Richard Lowden, sentencing Pye to a total of four years in a young offenders' institution, said: "This was a frenzied and merciless kicking - an attack of the most serious nature."