A TEENAGE thug who viciously attacked two people in a single evening while drunk has been given "one last chance" by a judge.

Luke Alberts punched his first victim in the back of the head in an unprovoked ambush.

Later the same evening he knocked a second man unconscious by either throwing a vodka bottle at him or striking with it.

He committed the offences on July 31 last year in Horwich and the 19-year-old admitted one count of assault causing actual bodily harm and one of common assault.

Alberts, of Chorley New Road, Horwich, was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on Thursday.

Judge Timothy Clayson, the Recorder of Bolton, told him: "You have started your adult life in a pretty poor way.

"You have been accumulating convictions for being a bit of a thug.

"You don't behave at all when you're drunk like you do when you're sober.

"When you're drunk it's not a pretty sight."

Prosecutor David Traynor told the court the first victim left the Bridge Inn in Horwich to walk home and passed a group of young men.

Among them was the defendant who the victim knew at least by reputation and the victim decided to avoid the group by heading down a side street.

Mr Traynor said Alberts chased after the victim and from behind punched him in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground, and delivered a second blow to the victim's face or head.

The court heard the victim was left "dizzy and wobbly and had lumps to his head and bruises to his left eyebrow area".

The victim telephoned a friend for help and they arranged to meet outside Horwich Leisure Centre in Victoria Road, Horwich.

When the victim arrived at the leisure centre, he saw his friend being accosted by Alberts and a youth who was armed with a brick and then witnessed Alberts run up to his friend.

Alberts had a glass vodka bottle in his hand and either swung it at the friend and threw it at him from close range.

The blow knocked out the friend and he fell to the ground.

Alberts and his juvenile accomplice ran off and the emergency services were called.

The friend suffered bruising, swelling on his forehead and a graze.

Mr Traynor said: "Both victims describe as being shocked at these incidents and feeling cautious and paranoid when they have been walking around since that night."

Jon Close, for Alberts, said his client had made efforts to abide by the law and had passed a forklift truck course and found a job.

Judge Clayson said: "An intensive community order seems to be a let-off.

"He's absolutely asking to be sent to custody for this.

"It would be so easy to impose a custodial sentence today.

"But I'm persuaded by this pre-sentence report and persuaded by his employment and that he has turned his life around.

"He should have one last chance.

"I want to spell it out clearly, if he doesn't take this chance and if he gets drunk and gets into trouble again, custody he will go.

"It's grow-up time."

Alberts was given a 12-month community order with 30 days' rehabilitation activity and an 8pm to 6am curfew until the end of July and must pay £150 compensation to the first victim and £300 to the second.

Two counts of possession of an offensive weapon were left to lie on file.