A YOUTH fresh out of custody ended up in such a drunken stupor he attacked his friend in the street.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Daniel Porter, 20, set about his friend Clifford Whitbread after going to intervene when Mr Whitbread hit Barry Noone, an innocent passer-by.

Mr Whitbread suffered a smashed jaw in two places, multiple fractures to his upper teeth and needed surgery with extensive stitching to the gums around the broken teeth.

Mr Whitbread was left with facial scarring -- but neither he nor the defendant could remember much about what happened.

The court was told that when police arrived at the scene in Waterfoot they found Mr Whitbread lying in the road -- with Porter laid out beside him -- and when Porter later sobered up he blamed Mr Noone for his friend's injuries. Porter, who had been released from a three-month term at a young offenders' institution that day, was given nine months' detention.

Assistant Recorder David Hernandez said the defendant, who assaulted his friend by mistake, had been abusive and aggressive to the ambulance crew.

He went on: "The public is crying out for appropriate sentences."

Porter, of Dall Street, Burnley, admitted affray last November.

Nick Courtney, prosecuting, said the defendant and Mr Whitbread had been drinking and were both worse for wear.

The pair were in the middle of the road, blocking it and motorist Mr Noone was unable to get past and gesticulated to them to move. Mr Whitbread started banging on the man's car, a row followed, and the complainant hit Mr Noone, who then responded by punching him back. The defendant came over and set about his friend with a bottle and his fists. He stopped when Mr Noone shouted Mr Whitbread had had enough.

Kevin Donnelly, defending, said Porter was particularly conscious of the fact that for the first time he had been responsible for causing injury to another person.