THREE men were spared prison for an attack on another party-goer because of their previous good character.

The friends were each ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work over the next 12 months instead of being jailed.

Teesside Crown Court judge Peter Armstrong told the men they would be locked up if they got into trouble again.

The court was shown a recording of the attack in Middlesbrough town centre in which four attackers punched, kicked, dragged and kneed the man.

Gavin Doig, prosecuting, said one of the four has never been traced and the victim had fled the scene before police arrived in the early hours of March 2.

The other three - Sean Ewart, 22, Geoffrey Ewart, 19, and Daniel Lacey, 21 - admitted affray and were sentenced yesterday.

Lacey, of Sycamore Gardens, Teesville, near Redcar, east Cleveland, was said to be the least involved in the violence.

Sean Ewart, of The Larches, Teesville, who was attacked by the victim in a pub earlier in the evening, was seen to throw a number of punches and drag the man off the ground.

Geoffrey Ewart, of Grisedale Crescent, Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, stamped on and kicked the man after he had been knocked to the ground.

Judge Armstrong told them: "I have no doubt this incident was fuelled by too much alcohol.

"You behaved appallingly that night. Make sure you don't do it again. If you come back before me, you know where you'll be going."