A TRAINEE teacher who was beaten up by eight students in dinner jackets says his case should have been given the same priority as "student bashing" assaults.

Hugh Holding, 31, a former student at Durham University, was brutally beaten by a gang of smartly-dressed men as he walked home after a night out a year ago.

He suffered a broken jaw, broken nose and shattered nerve endings in his face.

He was left for dead after the ambush on him and a friend on Prebends Bridge, linking South Bailey and Quarryheads, in the city centre.

A year after the assault no one has been caught, and he still has to see a face specialist in Sunderland to treat the nerve damage in his face.

The father of one, from Framwellgate Moor, Durham City, said the student community was not properly questioned by police at the time.

He said: "When a student is beaten up it is given top priority by police. They tell the media and do their best to raise its profile.

"I was beaten up and no one has been caught. It seems it was not worthy of as much attention."

He was attacked after visiting his former student haunts, Dunelm House and Cuthbert's Bar.

A County Durham police spokesman said the inquiry into the attack was still open.

He said: "All assaults are treated and investigated in the same manner.

"The detection rate is usually very high, but unfortunately this appears to be one of those rare exceptions."