TWO men who took part in an attack in which their victim’s eye socket was smashed with a brick, have been jailed.

Liam O’Callaghan, 24, had struck roofer Andrew Bridge in the face with the brick after Kristian Jeffrey, 20, had grabbed his arms.

Jeffrey later punched him and lunged at him.

Mr Bridge, who had feared for his life, suffered a wound over his right eyebrow, swelling, bruising and the fracture.

He had to have surgery to have a reconstruction plate fitted and a fragment of bone was removed, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The hearing was told the defendants had tried to recruit "petrol head" Mr Bridge, who had 14 motorbikes, to fix a stolen £1,500 machine, but he had wanted none of it when he found the ignition wiring had been cut.

He was then followed, threatened and set upon.

O’Callaghan, of Brentwood Road and Jeffrey, of Railway Street, both Nelson, had admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and handling stolen goods last November.

O’Callaghan, who has 116 offences on his record and has been made the subject of an anti-social behaviour order, was locked up for three years.

His co-defendant was sent to detention for 12 months.

Lisa Worsley, prosecuting, said Mr Bridge was led to a rear yard in Southfield Street, Nelson, by the defendants.

He refused to fix the stolen bike and said he was going. O’ Callaghan had caught up with the victim, was angry Mr Bridge had told him he was off his head and said he was going to kill him.

Mr Bridge said all he had done was try and help but Jeffrey grabbed his arms and O’ Callaghan hit him in the face. Blood was streaming from his eye and the victim feared for his life.

Miss Worsley said officers went to O’Callaghan’s mother’s home and found both defendants asleep on a sofa.

Jeffrey told officers he had been drinking and had taken bubble.

Martin Hackett, for O’Callaghan, said: “He still has ample time to become a useful member of society.”

Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Gibson said the incident was nasty and serious.

He told O’Callaghan: “You have a very large number of previous convictions for violence.”