A MAN was left fighting for his life after being attacked in an alleyway as revenge for an inappropriate remark he made to a teenage girl, a court heard on Friday.

Andrew Ainsworth was punched in the face once and fell backwards fracturing his skull and suffering bleeding on the brain.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that medics were not sure that he would survive and that he has suffered ongoing problems since the attack.

“Mr Ainsworth has no recollection of the incident in an alley alongside The Edge public house in Tyldesley and his confidence has been totally destroyed,” said Neville Biddle, prosecuting.

His attacker, Richard Thomas, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and was jailed for 15 months.

Sylvia Warburton, aged 36, who instigated the incident, had denied inflicting grievous bodily harm but was convicted after a trial and jailed for 18 months.

The court heard that Mr Ainsworth told a 16-year-old girl in the Gin Pit in Tyldesley that she would look sexier in her school uniform but then tried to apologise for the remark.

News of the incident reached Warburton and she decided to deal with matters.

On March 5 last year she was in her car with a friend, Thomas, when they spotted Mr Ainsworth turning into the alleyway.

CCTV footage showed Thomas getting out of the car and returning within 18 seconds.

“A neighbour raised the alarm and the victim was rushed to hospital. He is still off work over a year later and suffers from depression,” said Mr Biddle.

Virginia Hayton, defending 28-year-old Thomas, of Sarah Street, Hindley Green, said: "He got out to teach him a lesson as requested by Warburton.

"He is full of remorse and there was certainly no intention to cause the catastrophic injuries."

Thomas McKail, defending Warburton, of Blenheim Drive, Leigh, said that she is "extremely passionate" and blurred the distinction between caring and controlling.