AN 18-year-old who attacked a school caretaker's husband was told he was 'very lucky' to be walking free from court.

Blackburn magistrates heard how Matthew James Harrison punched his victim twice in the face without warning or provocation. As the two men grappled on the floor, Harrison sank his teeth into the other man, drawing blood.

And before leaving the grounds of St Francis School, Cherry Tree, he told Graham Aspen he would come back and slit his throat.

Harrison, of Fielding Crescent, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Aspen causing him actual bodily harm. He was ordered to complete 100 hours community punishment, put on probation for two years, made subject to a curfew between 8pm and 7am for four weeks and ordered to pay £250 compensation.

Passing sentence, the chairman said it was hard to imagine anywhere else that Harrison should be going other than prison.

"We have read the probation service report very carefully and accepted their recommendation and you are leaving this court a very lucky man," said the chairman.

"If you are ever before this or any other court for a similar offence you will lose your liberty."

Peter Wilde, prosecuting, said Mr Aspen was helping his wife at St Francis School when he heard Harrison call her 'caretaker bitch.'

"Initially, he ignored the abuse but when he saw he was becoming aggressive towards his wife, Mr Aspen approached and asked him to leave the school grounds," said Mr Wilde.

"Without warning, Harrison punched him in the face. When he repeated the request he was punched again."

During the struggle that followed Mr Aspen was bitten and also suffered a black eye and other bruises.

He later told police: "I didn't want to hurt him or get involved in a fist fight because he is only a youth and I am an adult."

"Mr Aspen, who was simply doing his job, was assaulted by the defendant and, as a result of the bite, he had to undergo a six-week course of treatment for hepatitis B," added Mr Wilde.

The court had previously been told that Harrison could not recall any of the circumstances of the incident in June because, at the time, he was heavily reliant on drugs such as LSD and amphetamine.