TWO teenage tearaways, who launched an unprovoked attack on a man as he walked home from the pub with his friend, were locked up yesterday.

Drunken friends Dean Toole and Robert Turner were said to have behaved "like a pack of animals" when they savagely assaulted Wayne Taylor.

Earlier in the evening, the pals had been moved on by police after residents complained of a gang causing trouble near Darlington town centre.

Toole and Turner were among a group of youths on bikes who confronted Mr Taylor and a friend as they walked home after a night out in Darlington on May 18.

Members of the gang hurled abuse at the men and began swinging their bikes at them and knocked 32-year-old Mr Taylor to the ground.

Toole, 19, and Turner, 18, then launched an attack described by witnesses as "with no let-up and with shocking levels of violence".

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said the teenagers repeatedly kicked and stamped on Mr Taylor's head and upper body as he curled up in a ball.

During the attack, described by one witness as "befitting of a pack of animals", Mr Taylor had a mobile phone and keys stolen from his pockets.

Mr Taylor suffered a bruised face, burst nose and cut lips, and police later found his blood on the shoes of his teenage attackers.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the friends, both from Darlington, had previous convictions for offences such as affray and disorderly behaviour.

A fortnight earlier, Toole had also been arrested after a stolen police Honda 125cc motorbike was found at his home.

Judge Tony Briggs told the pair the incident was "disgusting".

He said: "It is a mercy Mr Taylor was not more seriously injured than he was."

Toole, of Crossfield Road, admitted robbery and possessing criminal property, and was locked up for a total of four years and three months.

Turner, of Craig Street, admitted robbery and was jailed for three-and-a-half years, to start when an eight-month sentence for affray ends in December.

James Kemp, mitigating, said Turner had been candid with the police about his involvement in the attack after he was arrested.

Scott Smith, for Turner, said: "He apologises to the victim of this drunken attack.