A YOUTH broke down in tears at the sight of his mother and father crying as he was convicted of a nearly tragic' assault.

He punched a man in the jaw from behind at Penketh Conservative Club - leaving the victim with a brain haemorrhage. The youth admitted assault causing grievous bodily harm. The 17-year-old, from Callands, who cannot be named because of his age, said: "Seeing my family cry - that is enough punishment for me. I am truly sorry for what I have done.

"At the time I didn't even think about it. But it's going to be with me for the rest of my life. It's changed my life. I didn't mean for this to happen."

The victim was in hospital for several days and suffered from severe headaches and nausea but had no lasting effects. He has been left feeling anxious and has not been out socialising, the court heard.

There was ill-feeling between the two over the attacker's girlfriend.

Simon Dunn, defending, said the youth had no history of violence and came from a secure and stable family. "This was a single incident which nearly had a tragic outcome," said Mr Dunn.

The youth and his parents wept as they tried to tell the magistrates why he should not go to prison. The father said: "We told him to be truthful with the police, with everybody, and that is exactly what happened."

The magistrates said it was a close-run thing' but sentenced the youth to a community penalty rather than prison.

The chairman of the magistrates told the youth: "Hopefully we will never see you again."