A GANG of youths was last night starting custodial sentences after pleading guilty to an unprovoked attack on a man in his 20s.

The group of six, aged between 14 and 17, threw punches and kicked their victim to the ground before stabbing him five times in the back.

He was also attacked with nunchukas, a martial arts weapon made famous in the Bruce Lee Kung Fu film Enter The Dragon.

Although Victor Jeffrey's stab wounds were mainly superficial, he also suffered bruising and swelling to his face, a deep cut to his ear and required work by a plastic surgeon.

The youths, who can not be identified for legal reasons, were each given a four month detention and training order at Darlington Magistrates' Court.

All six were charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two of them, aged 16 and 17, were also charged with trying to pervert the course of justice.

The second charge arose following the first police interview, when the two youths denied any involvement in the attack and tried to frame a youth who was not connected with what happened.

The incident occurred on October 15 last year in Yarm Road, Darlington.

Christopher Williams, prosecuting, said: "The victim was subjected to an unprovoked and vicious assault."