A MASKED thug has admitted carrying out a violent assault which ended when the innocent victim jumped out of three storey house to escape.

Leroy Hewitt was part of a gang who went to a block of flats in Darlington to dish out some retribution for poor quality cocaine.

The victim was dragged into the flats on Woodland Terrace by Hewitt and another unidentified man where he was viciously attacked.

Last week, one of the men who played a minor part in the brutal assault has been jailed for 12-months after Teesside Crown Court heard he stood outside while two other men dished out the beating.

As a result of the beating, the court heard how the victim was forced to jump off the third floor roof to escape and suffered multiple injuries, including a broken back, broken leg and facial injuries from the assault.

Hewitt, of Pateley Moor Crescent, Darlington, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm following the attack on August 23 last year.

His co-defendant, Dean Wilkinson admitted his role in the attack and his barrister said he described himself as a ‘f***ed up addict’ who got caught up in events.

Judge Howard Crowson told Hewitt that he would be sentenced on Friday by the same judge, Paul Watson QC, and was remanded in custody.

He said: "I think it is only fair that both of you should be sentenced by the same judge and with that judge sitting on Friday, I believe that is the right thing to do."

Earlier the court heard how the pair, and another unidentified man, turned up at the Darlington address with the intention of confronting a drug dealer about the quality of his cocaine.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, had told the court how the three men were caught on CCTV being picked up by a taxi which dropped them off on Woodland Terrace, Darlington.

Miss Masters said two of the men grabbed the innocent victim by the throat and dragged into a flat which wasn't his where he was attacked and the men were demanding 'money and cocaine'.

She said: "Due to the fear about this attack, the victim made the decision to climb out of the skylight, climb onto the roof and jump three stories down to the ground.

"This jump was about 25-30 feet and he landed on the concrete floor, he was so scared that he thought this was the only way he could get away from further harm."

The victim suffered a black eye, swelling around his cheekbones, he a broken back, which required surgery, two broken bones in his pelvis and fractures to two bones in his left leg – leaving him with long term medical problems.

The court heard how Wilkinson played no part in the assault but stood guard outside the address knowing what was about to happen.