A REMORSEFUL Witham teenager had a punch-up with his pal over a £10 debt, and left him with serious head injuries.

The brawl started outside South East Essex College, Southend. It led to the 16-year-old victim hitting the ground and cracking his head on the pavement.

He was rushed to Southend Hospital on February 8 with serious head injuries, as police sealed off the crime scene.

Bob Rowlingson, prosecuting at Southend Youth Court, said: “The injuries are described as a bleed on the brain, crack to the base of his skull and he had spinal fluid leaking from his ear.

“It was over a month before he was in a position where he was able to give a statement to the police because of his injuries. As a result of the injuries received, he said he’s been left with a hearing loss to his left ear and facial nerve damage.”

Anne Blythe-Cook, mitigating, said the pair had been friends and were “bickering” about a £10 debt the defendant owed the victim.

This led the victim to push her client three times before he retaliated by pushing him back.

When he realised what he had done, he handed himself in to police.

She said: “I understand he was extremely worried, and extremely upset, about what happened and went straight to the police station.”

The 16-year-old defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to causing grievous harm without intent.

The court released him on unconditional bail while a pre-sentence report is prepared, which will consider custody as an option.

He will next appear at Witham Youth Court on June 8. The Gazette applied for the court to lift reporting restrictions, but was refused.