A teenager will live the rest of his life with a metal plate in his jaw after he was attacked by a Grantham College student.
His attacker was sentenced to a “thinking skills course” and supervision by the Probation Service after he admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent.
Jordan Hartley, 18, went looking for the youth after being told by another male that threats had been made against him. Hartley found the 17-year-old victim at the house of a friend in Derwent Road, Grantham.
A statement was read out from the victim in which he described Hartley attacking him with both fists and feeling “punch after punch around my head”. He said he could not tell where the punches were landing because his head and face had gone numb from the blows.
The victim described how Hartley followed him inside the house, grabbed him in a headlock with one arm and repeatedly punched him with the other until he was eventually thrown out by the friend’s mother.
Checks at Grantham Hospital and then Lincoln County Hospital confirmed the victim had suffered a fractured jaw. The injury was so severe an operation was necessary to insert a metal plate into the boy’s face.
Rory Macmillan, defending, told the court Hartley only struck the victim once and apologised immediately. He described a long-running feud between the pair dating back to their time at Grantham College, where Hartley still studies.
Mr Macmillan said Hartley was told by a friend that the victim was threatening to stab Hartley. The victim denied making such threats.
Mr Macmillan said: “He is very sorry for what he did and would like to apologise through the court to the victim for what happened.”
The court heard how Hartley is studying for various GCSEs at Grantham College and hopes to become a chef.
Chair of magistrates Ros Gulson said: “This was an extremely nasty offence. Someone is now going to have to have a metal plate in his body for the rest of his life.
“But at the same time you are doing a lot to help yourself and we don’t want you to be discouraged from the education you are doing.”
Sentencing Hartley, of Kestrel Court, Grantham, to supervision and a thinking skills programme, Mrs Gulson said: “That should help you and benefit you as you pursue your career as a chef.”
Hartley was told he must pay compensation of £500 to the victim, as well as £45 in costs and a £60 surcharge.