A TEENAGE gang set on a young bar worker for no reason, injuring his shoulder, a court heard yesterday.

Dominic Finley, 19, of Thrush Road, Redcar, east Cleveland, admitted causing grievous bodily harm to barman Richard Whitely.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said that last June 1, Mr Whitely, 21, had been working at the Coulby Farm Hotel, Coulby Newham, near Middlesbrough, and left at 8.20pm.

As he walked along, he was approached by six youths, including Michael Coates, 22, who asked him: "Why are you walking into me?"

Mr Whitely tried to avoid trouble and started to walk back towards the pub, but the group assaulted him, said Mr Dryden.

He was headbutted and kicked as he lay on the ground. When he managed to escape, and run away, he was chased, kicked again and kneed in the face before the group ran off.

Mr Dryden said Coates had received one year in prison for his part in the attack. Finley said he had pushed Mr Whitely, but had not headbutted him and any kicks he had made had not connected.

Peter Sabiston, for Finley, said the teenager had to accept he was part of the group. He said Finley accepted he had problems with anger and was ashamed of what he had done.

Judge Guy Whitburn QC said it was a bullying attack on a man who was not able to defend himself against the street violence he was subjected to.

He sentenced Finley to nine months in a young offenders' institution.