A 28-YEAR-old man who went berserk in his friend's flat had 'flipped' because of the pressure he was under, following a violent attack on him by three man armed with a knife and a hand-gun.

Blackburn magistrates heard the men tried to force Glen Costello into the boot of a car filled with broken glass and, when he resisted, he was stabbed in the back and hit on the head with the butt of the gun.

And Roger Pickles, defending, said the incident had left his client suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome.

"He just can't believe the violence and ferocity of the situation he found himself sucked into," said Mr Pickles. "This is a man with no experience of or involvement in violent crime and, as a result of the injuries he suffered and the fear he is in, his world has been turned upside down.

"He is depressed and feels under constant pressure, to the extent that he can't get on with his life and has even considered moving out of Darwen." Mr Pickles said the incident occurred in June outside the Ellenshaw pub in Darwen.

"Three men tried to force him into the boot of a car which had been filled with broken glass and he was then viciously attacked with a knife and hit with the butt of a gun," said Mr Pickles.

"The matter was reported to the police and a man was arrested."

Wendy Shackleton, prosecuting, had earlier told the court that Costello had been drinking with a friend called Gary Clark and they had gone back to the friend's flat. Costello slept on the settee and in the early hours Mr Clark was woken by noises from the living room. He found Costello 'going berserk,' smashing windows, furniture and other items.

Costello pleaded guilty to damaging four windows and an internal door belonging to Stonham Housing Association and was ordered to pay £300 compensation and £50 costs.