A WIDNES man has been given a 100-hour community order for his part in an assault which left a man needing 16 stitches to a head wound.

David McClean, aged 20, of Liverpool Road was sentenced at Warrington Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to violent disorder at an earlier hearing.

The court was told that during the early hours of last August 24, McClean was driving along Liverpool Road but stopped his car near to Foxley Heath where Gary McNulty, age 20, of Widnes was walking home after a night with friends.

The court heard that passengers then got out of the car and proceeded to attack Mr McNulty, kicking him and jumping on him.

McClean, who had blood on his clothes, then allegedly said: "That's not him, that's Gaz McNulty."

Mr McNulty was found by a milkman and needed 16 stitches and staples to the back of his head.

McNulty had recognised McClean during the attack and made a complaint. A DNA test matched McClean to blood found on Mr McNulty.

Police are trying to trace one of the other men identified in the attack.

Tony Limont, defending, argued McClean was hardworking and was a 'basically decent young man' who had grown up in a cultural background that used 'mindless violence'.

At one point Judge David Hale interrupted and said: "Well I don't agree with you."

Mr Limont continued: "He is well able to understand that what he did was completely wrong."

He added there was no suggestion McClean himself used violence against McNulty, but Judge Hale told McClean that the pre-sentence report showed 'your attitude towards violence is quite breathtaking'.