A TEENAGE thug hurled a brick onto the head of a homeless drunk whilst his friend filmed the assault on his mobile phone.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, struck the 55-year-old man as he was sleeping rough in bushes near Castlefields shops in Runcorn.

He threw a piece of wood and concrete at the victim, at 8.45pm on August 9 last year, as the pair taunted the down and out.

The victim was left with a two-inch head wound that had to be stitched in Warrington Hospital. He has suffered blackouts ever since.

Philip Clemo, prosecuting, said the victim was “vulnerable and totally defenceless”.

The teenagers initially denied the attack but pleaded guilty to a section 20 wounding assault at a later hearing.

Nathan Lindsay, aged 18, from Caesars Close, Castlefields,  has four previous convictions.

This was the juvenile's first offence.

Sentencing the pair at Warrington Crown Court yesterday, Recorder Stuart Driver said: “What you did was disgusting behaviour.

“You two fit young men decided to bully a 55-year-old drunk.

“He was asleep and completely vulnerable.

"You decided to film it for your pleasure. He didn’t provoke you. He didn’t attack you.

“You called him a paedo for no reason.

"The man shed a lot of blood, but, thankfully, when a doctor looked at his head he had not suffered serious injury.

"The juvenile told other kids he did it because he was bored. 

"I don't believe a word either of you have said. You both knew what you were doing."

He said Lindsay filmed the attack and showed it to other youths afterwards.

Judge Driver told both defendants they “deserved to go into custody” and should be ashamed of themselves and their parents should be ashamed of them too.

He said he was bound by youth offending sentencing guidelines and gave the juvenile a two-year rehabilitation order, 12 months supervision and extended activities requirement.

He gave Lindsay a community order with 12 months supervision, because he played a lesser role and ordered him to complete a skills programme and do 70 hours unpaid work.

Both defendants were put on a 7pm to 7am electronic curfew for 90 days.