A thug who attacked a man with a bottle and stamped on him inside a city centre railway station has walked free from court.
Jordan Akinfolarin smashed the glass bottle over the head of his victim then took part in a shocking two-on-one onslaught.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim, who was an acquaintance of Akinforlarin, was set upon at Newcastle Central Station.
Ellen Wright, prosecuting, said it was around 11pm on October 22 2019 when Akinfolarin, the victim and another man entered the station.
The victim threw a plastic bottle at the third man and Akinfolarin then responded by chasing him with a glass bottle, catching him outside Sainsbury's.
Miss Wright said he hit him over the head with the bottle and the bottle shattered.
Akinfolarin and the third man then hit and stamped on the victim after he went to the floor.
A witness head Akinfolarin shouting "you will get it" while making slashing movements to his neck with the bottle.
The 24-year-old, of Kenton road, Kenton, Newcastle, who has 31 previous convictions, including for assault and carrying knives, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm
Mr Recorder Fanning sentence him to 16 months suspended for two years.
The judge said: "Members of the public who read about this will wonder how this kind of street violence will result in anything other than an immediate custodial sentence but sentencing is not simply about deterring or punishing but about public protection in the longer term."
The judge said the fact he had stayed out of trouble for 16 months since the offence, was now in supported accommodation, is taking medication for his mental health condition and appears to be more settled, meant the public would be better protected by that support continuing than him going to prison for a few months.
Jane Foley, defending, said Akinfolarin had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and added: "He had a troubled childhood, which no doubt underpins his substance misuse."
