A NEWSAGENT has told how he thought he would die after being smashed in the face with a wine bottle after tackling three yobs who were stealing from his shop.

Stephen Stoddart, 20, Lewis Harrison, 21, and Shaun Bethwick, 20, appeared at Teesside Crown Court yesterday and admitted assaulting the man and his family in the North Road area of town on April 29 last year.

They were told by the judge to “prepare mentally and in every other way” for prison.

All three admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on the newsagent, who has asked not to be named. He was also kicked and suffered a broken leg in the night-time attack.

Harrison, of Whitbank Road, Darlington, also admitted a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm against the newsagent’s partner.

Bethwick, of Northgate, Darlington, also admitted a charge of affray.

Stoddart, of Ibletts Head East, Gunnerside, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, admitted stealing two bottles of wine from the shop.

He also faces sentence for an assault on a former partner in July last year, the court was told.

Stoddart was remanded in custody by the judge, Recorder David Gordon, while the other two were given conditional bail. All three will be sentenced on April 20.

Judge Gordon told them: “There must be a very real likelihood of custodial sentences in all cases. You should come prepared on the next occasion mentally and in every other way for that very real possibility.”

The newsagent said he was called to a disturbance by one of his staff and tackled the three men who were trying to steal two bottles of wine.

He was surrounded and then struck over the head with a bottle stolen by Stoddart and kicked by all three after he fell to the ground.

His partner was then kicked in the shin by Harrison, and when his son and his girlfriend came out they were attacked by Bethwick.

A month earlier, the same shopkeeper also had to chase off a wouldbe robber armed with a machete.

Last night, he said: “You feel like you’re a prisoner in your own home.

I can’t get any staff and am having to cover most of the hours myself.

You don’t know what’s coming, it’s very scary, it’s affecting my business.

“I saw death, I thought I was going to die. But at the same time, you have to defend your own home. If it happened again, I’ll do the same.

“People like that are cowards, they never face you one to one. They’re always in a group.

“I hope they get sent to prison. I’ve got no mercy for them.”