A BOY of 15 rammed a broken bottle into a man's neck after catcalls in the street turned to violence, a court was told yesterday.

Schoolboy Peter Marron, whom a judge said could be named, had challenged off-duty teacher Simon Laing to a fight.

Mr Laing left a Student Union bar in Middlesbrough with a friend when three youths shouted insults, and he took up the challenge, said Sarah Mallett, prosecuting.

Mr Laing's friend backed off as Marron smashed a bottle, and then Mr Laing thought he had been punched.

Miss Mallett said: "He was bleeding heavily from a wound to his neck, and there were two deep incisions which needed plastic surgery, leaving a still-visible scar."

Marron was identified from security camera footage and claimed Mr Laing attacked him first with a bottle, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Marron, of Sandford Close, Middlesbrough, pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent on September 24 last year, but admitted grievous bodily harm.

Miss Mallett said the Crown Prosecution Service agreed to accept the plea after consultation with Mr Laing.

In May, Marron, now 16, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' detention after he pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery and making threats to kill.

Judge Peter Bowers told him he did not intend to pass a separate sentence for the bottle attack. The judge said: "I think that if three-and-a-half-years' custody can't sort him out then we have got a bad life ahead of us."

Judge Bowers told Marron: "I am not going to pass a separate penalty on you. I hope it sorts you out and when you come out you don't go back to court again."