A GANG who attacked a man in his own home, stamping on him and leaving him bleeding and badly bruised, narrowly avoided prison yesterday.

Darren Brawn and his friends Paul and Wayne Simpson subjected their victim to a five-minute attack of punches and kicks to the face and body, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said Brawn had asked his two friends to accompany him to the victim's house to ask the victim about a Ford Cougar car, after all three had been drinking.

He said Brawn's wife had been involved in a disagreement with the victim some weeks earlier.

The men were admitted to the house by the victim's partner and shown to the garage, where the victim was working on a motorbike, and Brawn made a comment referring to the disagreement between the victim and his wife, said Mr Sabiston.

Mr Sabiston said the victim was subjected to an attack, where he was kicked, punched and stamped on.

"All three were involved in the attack; whilst two were giving blows the other was trying to lift him up," said Mr Sabiston.

"He was told that it would teach him a lesson."

The victim received injuries including a serious laceration to the ear lobe, cuts to his head and bruising and swelling to his nose.

Chris Baker, mitigating for Brawn, 37, said that when his client was initially told about the disagreement between the victim and his wife, he decided the matter should be left to rest.

He said at the time of the assault, the victim had been on anti-depressants after injury had caused him to lose his job as a train driver of 19 years.

He said Brawn had made the mistake of drinking combined with tablets and had not intended to involve himself with violence.

Warren Greer, mitigating for Wayne Simpson, of Selby Crescent, Darlington, said his client was extremely remorseful for his actions and had gone along in drink.

Shaun Dryden, mitigating for Paul Simpson, of Whitwell Road, Eastbourne, Darlington, said he was a father-of-three and of previously good character.

Brawn, of Archdeacon Crescent, Cockerton, Darlington, Wayne Simpson, 33, and Paul Simpson, 44, were all sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years after pleading guilty to wounding with intent.

Brawn was also given a supervision order, while Simpson and Simpson were ordered to do 100 hours community service.

Brawn was ordered to pay £300 compensation, while the other two defendants were ordered to pay £350.