A TEENAGE girl was brutally assaulted late at night in a park.

Blackburn magistrates heard the victim was repeatedly kicked and punched.

Two boys admitted assaulting the victim but the same charge against a 15-year-old girl, who had been involved in the original fight, was withdrawn by the prosecution.

The two 16-year-old boys both pleaded guilty to assaulting the 19-year-old girl. They were both made subject to a referral order and ordered to pay £50 compensation, £85 costs and £21 victim surcharge.

Ruby Mckeague, prosecuting, said the incident happened in Towneley Park, Burnley, at 11pm on Tuesday April 23 last year.

There was a scuffle involving the victim and a 15-year-old girl and the two boys got involved.

She fell to the floor after being punched in the face and then felt numerous kicks and punches to her head and body.

“She heard people shouting stop because there were 'too many on her' but the attack went on for several minutes,” said Miss Mckeague.

“When it stopped the defendants and the other girl left. It was a sustained assault which left the victim with a swollen eye and a chipped tooth.”

Jonathan Taylor, defending one of the youths, said the victim had touched him inappropriately and this had upset him and his girlfriend.

“There was a fight between the two girls and he felt protective,” said Mr Taylor.

“He knows he should not have reacted in the way that he did and is genuinely sorry.

“Hopefully a referral order will teach him that he has to walk away from this kind of incident in the future.”