A YOUTH who hit another teenager on the head with a bottle in a "dreadful" attack has been given three and half years youth custody.

A judge who passed the custodial sentence told Christopher McMullen, 17: "The public must know this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated."

McMullen of Hawks Grove, Rawtenstall, denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent, but was convicted by a jury following trial.

He was 16 at the time of the offence in July last year. At his sentencing hearing, Preston Crown Court was told that McMullen had started banter, joking about and knocking off the hats of some people.

He also jumped around in an excited way, pushing the 16-year-old against railings and simulating a sex act against him.

He invited the same lad into a subway where, away from the protection of others, he took a bottle as a weapon.

McMullen struck the teenager over the head and the bottle smashed, leaving a four centimetre wound to the right temple.

The youth used stabbing movements with the bottle to cause injury to a hand and upper arm.

At his trial McMullen claimed he had acted in self defence because he thought the lad was going to harm him.

Defence barrister Miss Maisie Burke said: "He asks me to apologise on his behalf and to the complainant. He is extremely upset at the distress he has caused his family."

Passing sentence, Judge Jonathan Foster QC, said: "This was a dreadful offence."