TWO homeless men came to blows when their disagreement boiled over, on a Friday night in a city centre.

Durham Crown Court heard that Christopher Thomas Henderson and the other man were begging at the time, in the Market Place, on Friday March 29.

Chris Wood, prosecuting, said the confrontation erupted at about 9.45pm, in which Henderson was seen picking up a glass bottle, using it to strike the other man repeatedly over the head before the makeshift weapon smashed.

Henderson followed with a flurry of punches to the other man’s head before he grabbed a metal rod from a street vendor’s stand, using it to inflict further blows to his victim’s arms, head and body.

The violent confrontation was observed by passers-by on a busy Friday night, some of whom contacted police.

But, Dr Wood said city centre cctv operators also alerted police and officers were quickly on the scene.

Henderson tried to flee, but was detained, and he claimed he was merely trying to protect himself from the other man’s aggression.

Dr Wood said the victim suffered a cut above the left eye, bruising above the nose and blackened, swollen eyes.

The 33-year-old defendant, whose address was given as of Sullivan Road, Sherburn Road, Durham, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

His conviction put Henderson in breach of a suspended sentence order, imposed only a fortnight earlier for abusive, insulting and threatening words and behaviour.

The crown court was told Henderson has a total of 32 convictions for 58 offences.

Andrew Walker, mitigating, said the defendant and complainant were, “in the same position in life” at the time and came to a disagreement.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “Whatever happened between the pair of you, you engaged in vicious street violence to the alarm of passers-by attempting to enjoy a night out in this city.

“You seem to have an established track record for violent offending.”

He imposed a 16-month sentence for the assault and added eight weeks consecutively from the suspended sentence.