A MAN who picked up a knife to frighten further attackers after being beaten unconscious on a night out has been given a conditional discharge.

Magistrates in Newton Aycliffe heard Steven Paul Whitehead picked up the 10 inch blade after coming round from a brutal beating.

The 36-year-old was attacked in Ferryhill by a man "three times the size of him", magistrates were told.

When he come round from the beating, which left him with facial injuries, Whitehead, who said he was 11 out of 10 drunk, saw the knife and picked it up to frighten his assailant if the man returned, the court heard.

Police were called by concerned staff at a pizza shop after they saw Whitehead staggering in the street with blood pouring from a cut above his eye, prosecutor John Garside said.

Warren Ridley in mitigation said his client had enjoyed a trouble free night out when his attacker approached him in the street at around 11pm on Saturday, April 5.

Mr Ridley said Whitehead realised his stupidity in picking the knife up and very quickly out it back down on the ground.

He said Whitehead had refused to identify his attacker for fear of future reprisals.

Whitehead, a welder by trade, was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

He admitted possessing an offensive weapon and also possessing 1.2g of cannabis worth £10 which police found in his wallet.