A YOUTH who smashed a schoolboy's head through a car window leaving him scarred for life has been ordered to attend a young offenders' centre.

The 15-year-old youth, who had been found guilty of unlawful and malicious wounding during a two-day trial in August, appeared before Hyndburn magistrates for sentencing.

The court heard that the youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, forced the 12-year-old boy's head through a car window at Hyndburn Sports Centre, Henry Street, Church last December.

The attacker, who lives locally, had been at the Sports Centre with his younger brother.

The victim, of Clayton-le-Moors, and a friend were waiting outside the Sports Centre to be picked up after they had been swimming. He saw the attacker's younger brother -- who attended the same Hyndburn school.

There was a scuffle between the victim and the defendant and the victim had his head pushed through the rear window of a car, said Margaret Duckworth, for the prosecution. The attacker believed the victim had been responsible for bullying his younger brother and calling him names and that he was "angling" for a fight.

Magistrates heard that the victim will be permanently scarred at the side of his eye and that he needed plastic surgery to his hand. He also suffered wounds to his forehead.

Peter King, for the defence, said that his client did not mean for the window to smash.

He added: "He thought the victim was going to push his brother so he intervened.

"This was clearly a spur of the moment action on the part of my client but he was reckless about the consequences. He expresses his regret that the lad was injured the way he was. "My client is not a bully and has no history of aggression or violence."

Mr King added that he expected the victim's compensation from the criminal injuries board to be more than £10,000.

The defendant's family were ordered to pay the victim's family £250 and no order was made for costs due to their financial circumstances.