A 30-year-old man suffered hearing loss from being kicked in the head after leaving an Evesham nightclub.

James Buckland was attacked by teenagers Thomas Haskins and Conor Wilson near Innuendo.

Alex Warren, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court, said he suffered a perforated eardrum with up to a 25 decibel hearing loss.

He also had head, lip and eye injuries and vowed never to go into Evesham town centre again at night.

Haskins, of Lichfield Avenue, Evesham, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Wilson, of Chapel Street, Evesham, admitted one similar count.

Recorder Jonathan Harvey told the 19-year-olds that kicks to the head can kill.

He said it was “unforgiveable” what happened to Mr Buckland after he had intervened in an earlier incident to calm things down.

But he observed that the offences were out of character because neither defendant had police records. They were each given 12 months detention, suspended for 18 months.

Haskins was also ordered to do 240 hours of unpaid work and Wilson 150 hours.

The recorder said Mr Buckland could now pursue the pair in a civil action for compensation. The attack happened on November 13 last year after the victim left the club at 3am to go to a fast food outlet.

It began after an exchange of words over a kebab.

Haskins punched Mr Buck-land in the face. He ran off but stumbled and fell andwas then kicked in the face by Wilson.

Haskins later resumed the attack by kicking Mr Buckland in the head.

Michael Aspinall, for Haskins, said: “This was a horrible incident. Tensions had been running high inside the club.”

He said the defendant’s mother worked for the ambulance service and came across the victims of violence in her job.

Mark Lister, for Wilson, said he was disgusted with himself and unable to understand how he became involved.