TWO youths who shot a teenager, leaving her blind in one eye, have been jailed.

Nicola Diston, 15, was left screaming in agony when she was shot as she made her way home in Leam Lane, Gateshead.

At Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, Daniel Lumsden, 18, from Donside, Gateshead, and 17-year-old Damon Davison, of Sheraton, Gateshead, were locked up for the attack.

Judge David Hodson sentenced Lumsden to two-and-a-half years and Davison to 18 months.

Penny Moreland, prosecuting, said that the pair had been drinking lager and messing around with the airgun, when they shot Nicola. They were arrested and Lumsden admitted he had fired the shot.

Miss Moreland said: "He had hold of the trigger and turned away to talk to one of his friends.

"Someone shouted 'now', he panicked and pulled the trigger."

Davison admitted to the police that he had been urging Lumsden to shoot the girl's foot.

Defence barrister Julian Smith, for Davison, said he accepted he had said "shoot her", but added: "He accepts shared responsibility for a tragic outcome, a prank that went horribly wrong."

Judge Hodson added: "What happened demonstrates the gross irresponsibility of playing with weapons such as this dangerous air rifle."

Before sentencing Davison to 18 months, Judge Hodson said that the maximum sentence for a juvenile who pleads guilty to wounding is a two-year detention and training order.

Judge Hodson said: "If I had a free hand I would seriously have in mind a longer sentence than the one I intend to pass."

Speaking after the hearing Nicola said: "I'm just glad it's all over so I can get on with my life."