A 16-year-old schoolboy was kicked around like a football during a vicious unprovoked street attack by a gang of drunken men.

Witnesses who saw the attack described how the thugs kicked the unconscious youngster "as if they were taking a penalty".

His attackers, father-of-five Raymond McGeary, 41, his son, also Raymond, 19, and David Peart, 32, were locked up yesterday.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the attack took place on a busy Saturday night in November last year as the boy made his way home with friends though South Shields town centre.

The group was approached by the gang who had spilled out from a pub, and began to hurl abuse before they launched the unprovoked on the teenager.

Tim Gittins, prosecuting, told the court how the boy was punched in the back of the head before being repeatedly beaten to the ground.

He told how the gang then kicked the boy unconscious and then continued to boot and stamp on his limp body.

Mr Gittins said: "One witness described how the group kicked at the boy as if they taking a penalty kick. He was unconscious and lying prostrate as they kicked and stamped on him repeatedly, and another witness told how he thought the boy was finished."

The teenager's friends were too terrified to intervene and the gang continued their sustained attack until someone raised the alarm.

They fled, but were picked up by police later the same night.

Despite initially denying being involved, they were picked out in an identification parade and forensic experts matched blood found on their boots and clothes to their victim.

The trio pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm yesterday McGeary Snr, of Stanhope Road, South Shields, and Peart, of Raby Road, Hartlepool, were each jailed for 15 months.

McGeary Jnr, also of Stanhope Road, South Shields, was sentenced to 15 months in a young offenders' institution.

Passing sentence, Judge Gerard Napkins said: "It was a sustained attack involving kicking. Such uncontrolled violence is so serious that only a custodial sentence can he justified."