Two teenagers took part in an attack on a man at the entrance of a sweet shop where children were among the customers present, a court was told.
Brooklyn Knighton, assisted by Jack Heightly, carried out the spontaneous assault on the lone victim as he entered the Kandy Kaye shop, in Spennymoor, at 5.30pm on October 16, last year.
Durham Crown Court heard that as the defendants passed in a van, Knighton spotted the victim outside the shop, in Clyde Terrace.
Chris Baker, prosecuting, said Knighton ran from the van towards his intended target while armed with a spanner.
He used the weapon to strike the other man over the head, but the victim struggled and disarmed Knighton.
Mr Baker said at this point Heightly approached from the van and briefly joined in the attack, where the victim was taken to the floor and knocked unconscious just inside the doorway of the shop.
Knighton was seen to stamp on the prone victim, as shocked members of the public, including children, looked on from inside the shop.
The pair fled and an ambulance was summoned to take the injured man to hospital for treatment for a gash and other abrasions to his head.
When both defendants were arrested and interviewed about the incident later, neither made any reply to police questions.
Mr Baker said although the complainant in the case chose not to make a victim statement for the court, he told police that the incident left him scared to go into Spennymoor town centre in case of a repeat.
Knighton, 18, of Surrey Crescent, Consett, and Heightly, now aged 18, but who was 17 at the time of the incident, of Jackson Street, Spennymoor, both denied attempted wounding with intent, and a trial was fixed for late April.
But both subsequently admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, which was accepted by the prosecution, in hearings earlier this year.
Knighton also admitted possessing an offensive weapon in public, the spanner.
The court heard that Knighton has only driving offences on his record, while Heightly has a previous conviction for offences of possessing an offensive weapon and assaulting an emergency worker.
Tony Davis, for Knighton, said his client outlined the background to the assault, relating to an ex-girlfriend of his who the victim was seeing at the time, when speaking to the Probation Service about the offence.
"It's clear the level of maturity reached at the time was why this spontaneous incident occurred.
"It's plain it was a serendipitous moment, as they went past in the van and he grabbed the spanner.
"There can be no excuse for his behaviour in addressing whatever issue he had with the complainant.
"He was subject of a community order, passed in September, at the time, but that was not for violence.
"It, nevertheless, represents a breach of court trust."
Mr Davis said the defendant was working for his brother, doing home improvements, at the time, but since his arrest has been in custody for breaching the court order and, since January, on remand.
"So, he's been incarcerated for the first time since the start of November and hasn't found it a pleasant experience.
"It's a considerable time in his young life which has given him time to reflect on his behaviour."
Calum McNicholas, for Heightly, said he played a much lesser role in the incident, for a matter of seconds, after getting involved.
The court was told drug use has been his downfall, with two previous short periods in custody and a longer stint, for the last five months, on remand, during which he has been able to address his substance misuse.
Mr McNicholas said while in custody the defendant has worked well in waste management and in the carvery, and he hopes to continue that progress when released into the community.
He said that although Knighton played the greater role in the attack, in which he armed himself and used a spanner, Heightly, who has a worse record, joined in, landing a few blows, himself.
But he said both have since served "a fairly significant" time in custody, during which both appeared to have "got clean" of drugs and worked hard, taking opportunities available to them.
So, he said this could be a "turning point" for both defendants, who at 18, are, "at a crossroads, going through a period of maturing."
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He made both subject to 18-month community orders, during which Knighton must work with the Probation Service on 41 programme and rehabilitation sessions, while Heightly must complete 35 sessions.
The judge made both subject to a restraining order, forbidding them from approaching or contacting the victim of the assault, for 12 months.
He also ordered forfeiture and destruction of the spanner used in the incident.
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