A TEENAGE boy from Knutsford yesterday admitted assaulting a classmate in school.

The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, struck the other boy in the face after he accidentally bumped into one of his friends on the stairs.

The boy, who was 13 at the time, has been unable to see properly ever since.

Yesterday at Northwich Magistrates Court, the Knutsford teenager, who defended himself, apologised. "I know I did it but I know I shouldn't have and didn't mean to cause that much damage," he said.

Caroline Harris, counsel for the prosecution, said the incident happened at a school in Hartford on February 1.

The boy had been due to stand trial for unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on his victim, but he changed his plea as proceedings began. Miss Harris said the Crown maintained that the boy used his fist not his forearm. "Then he went on and struck the complainant with his knee and caused him to fall to the floor," she said.

The injured boy was seen by a doctor at Leighton Hospital, Crewe, the following day.

Medical staff said he had bruising to his right eye, had suffered paralysis in one of his eye muscles and double vision.

The boy was referred to a specialist department at the Countess of Chester Hospital where he had an operation to repair his eye socket. Yesterday Don Beckett, chairman of the bench, praised the Knutsford teenager for admitting his guilt.

"I would like to commend you for your change of heart this morning," he said.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month referral order and a 12-month parenting order on his father.

The teenager was also ordered to pay £2,000 compensation and £200 court costs.