A MAN was attacked with a hammer and a knife and had boiling water poured over him in a row over cans of missing lager, a court heard.

Norman Heels, 27, spent three weeks in hospital, where he required skin grafts and an operation to mend three broken knuckles, Teesside Crown Court heard.

David Hepple, 40, of Chestnut Avenue, Spennymoor, and Carl Smedley, 37, of Commercial Street, Crook, County Durham, both deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent on or about May 18 this year.

The attack is alleged to have happened at Mr Hepple's former flat in Stainton Grove, Barnard Castle.

The prosecution case is that Mr Heels had been drinking in the flat with Mr Hepple's son, when he was set upon by the defendants, who had returned from a night out.

John Gillette, prosecuting, said Mr Hepple had accused the pair of stealing lager from the fridge.

Reading from police interviews, he said that Mr Smedley had hit Mr Heels then held him down by the arm while Mr Hepple poured boiling water from a kettle over him.

After that he was hit about the body with an implement - believed to be a hammer - and a knife was also used by Mr Smedley to stab him in the hand, the court heard.

The court was told that Mr Heels' injuries included burns and blistering to his left shoulder and arm, lacerations to his hands, scalp and nose, bruising to the thigh and chest and three broken fingers.

The prosecution alleges that a kitchen carpet covered in Mr Heels' blood was then dumped in a skip the next day.

Mr Heels was admitted to hospital and initially told doctors that he had fallen down the stairs. Giving evidence via a video link, Mr Heels said: "I was scared in case they came after me. He Mr Hepple told me not to go to the police and press charges against them because he would hunt me down."

David Lamb, for Mr Smedley, said that his client had not been involved in the attack and had actually been outside a pub called Follies in Barnard Castle at the time.

Mr Hepple told police he was baby-sitting on the night of the attack, denying that it had happened at his house, and said Heels' "drug mates" were responsible.

The trial continues.