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A PRANKSTER left a teenage boy with facial scarring after using a home-made flamethrower to wake him up.

Teesside Crown Court heard William Stallard, 23, was drunk at a house party on St Oswald’s Street in Hartlepool on March 24 last year.

His victim Daniel Robinson, a student who was 17 at the time, had fallen asleep on a sofa in the living room when Stallard used an aerosol and lighter to blast him in the face.

Prosecutor Ian Mullarkey said: “The defendant cried out in pain. He later said he could feel his flesh burning.”

The court was shown a video taken by a reveller at the party who had shot the incident on a mobile phone and put the footage on YouTube.

Mr Robinson is seen waking up and trying to get away from Stallard, who continues to torch his face.

The teenager left the party and went to Hartlepool Hospital for treatment. He suffered superficial burns to the side of his face. The court heard there would be no permanent injury but that the skin would be sensitive to sunlight for some time.

Police recovered the footage from the website and arrested Stallard, of Potter Walk, Hartlepool.

He pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Brian Forster QC said: “In effect you had in your possession a flamethrower. You then approached a young man who was sleeping and you sprayed the aerosol, spraying his face repeatedly. Anyone who views the footage can only be appalled by what took place.”

The judge sentenced Stallard to 16 weeks jail.