TWO teenagers involved in a drunken fracas in which a 16 year old was attacked and fleeced of property after a row in a nightclub, walked free from court.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Paul Beesley, 17, kicked the victim the times while he was on the ground, the youth's ring was taken and friend Jonathan 0'Brien, 17, then helped himself to his wallet from his pocket.

The pair, whose behaviour was described by both their counsel as a 'moment of madness,' were told by Judge Lesley Newton she had 'only just' been persuaded not to send them to custody, although the young complainant must have been absolutely terrified.

She told Beesley such 'drunken, mindless violence' could not be justified and added neither defendant should have been in a nightclub anyway.

Judge Newton said the defendants, came from respectable families and she could not imagine what it must be like for their parents to see them in the dock.

She added custody would not do them any good as they would mix with some very unsavoury people, although that was not the point.

Beesley, of Barnfield Avenue, Worsthorne, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm in March and both he and 0'Brien, of Todmorden Road, Burnley, and also works in Accrington, pleaded guilty to theft.

Beesley was given 180 hours community punishment and told to pay £300 compensation and his co-defendant was given 80 hours with £100 compensation.

The court was told the complainant did not suffer lasting injury.