A TEENAGER was spared prison after beating up a love rival and fracturing his cheekbone.

The 16-year-old boy poked his victim in the eye, pushed him to the ground, kicked him, hit him in the face and stamped on him four times in the attack, a court heard yesterday.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Darlington Youth Court to grievous bodily harm on July 27.

The court heard that the victim, who was 16 at the time and who also cannot be named, had started to date his attacker's former girlfriend.

After the assailant learnt they had started a relationship, he found the other boy on the playing fields of the school where they were both pupils.

Although the victim wanted to try to resolve the situation, his attacker beat him up.

Jacqueline Gibson, prosecuting, said: "It is clear he did not want to talk about it. He said 'I don't want to talk to you, I want to kill you'."

She said after he had stamped on him, he stopped the beating because he thought his victim had "had enough".

He suffered a fractured cheekbone, bruising to his face and eyes, internal bleeding, blurred vision, a chipped tooth and lacerations. His mobile phone was broken and his shirt was ripped.

Miss Gibson said the boy rarely went out alone anymore, and no longer played football or rugby because he feared he would break his cheekbone.

Stephen Andrews, in mitigation, said the attacker had been going out with his girlfriend for five years and the pair were inseparable.

But his rival started to go out with her before they had split up.

Mr Andrews said: "That was what angered him and caused the upset.

"He felt betrayed and that the time he had spent with the girl had meant nothing."

Chairman of the bench John Welsh said: "This is not the way to satisfy your problems. Really, it was a cowardly attack."

Magistrates gave the boy a 12-month referral order, warning him it could not be extended and if he re-offended he could be sent to prison. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation.