A GATECRASHER calling himself "Crazy Dave" smashed a party-goer in the head with a cricket bat, knocking him out, a court heard.

David Thornton, 22, carried out the "premeditated" attack on June 27 last year at a house party in The Lane, off Porton High Street, where 25 guests gathered in the garden listening to loud music.

Connor Pool, the defendant's friend, had gatecrashed the party and been kicked out.

Thornton, of Elm Grove Road, Salisbury, arrived in his car 20 minutes later with a group of young men.

Prosecutor Dawn Hyland said the victim, Will Newland, had been shocked when Thornton appeared "out of a large shadow", wielding a cricket bat and demanding to know if he was "the one who beat up my brother".

Mr Newland asked Thornton what he was talking about, when Thornton appeared to swing the bat "as hard as he could", striking the victim on the left leg.

A second blow hit him behind the ear and he fell to the floor.

The last thing he remembered was his face hitting the ground.

Thornton admitted swinging for the victim's "general shoulder/neck area".

Thornton's barrister, Nicholas Cotter, said his client was hard-working man with two jobs, who realised he was lucky as Mr Newland's injuries could have been far worse.

Mr Cotter admitted his client's record did him "no favours", but said he suffered from anger management problems, ADHD and was "plagued by immaturity".

The judge, Jane Miller QC, said: "The victim has lost consciousness to a degree. It is clear in the days afterwards he was suffering from concussion.

"You are fortunate more injury wasn't caused."

The judge described how a witness had thought Thornton was going to beat-up everyone at the party and trash the house.

"Quite clearly you have a problem with fighting in some shape or form," she said.

She described the attack as premeditated, and said Thornton had gone to the party as a gatecrasher, with a weapon.

For causing actual bodily harm, Thornton was sentenced to 30 weeks in prison, reduced from 40 for his guilty plea.

For possessing an offensive weapon, he received the same sentence, to run concurrently.

Suspending his sentence for 18 months at Winchester Crown Court today, Judge Miller said: "I have decided to give you one last chance".

She warned Thornton that if he committed any further offences or breached the conditions of his 18-month supervision order, he would be sent to jail.

Judge Miller chose not to give Thornton unpaid work, saying: "It might be putting too much upon you and setting you up to fail."

He must pay £500 compensation.

Thornton was also charged with perverting the course of justice by trying to pay people not to report the assault, but the prosecution dropped the case and the charge will lie on file.

*The court heard that Mr Pool and Mr Thornton were half brothers, but the family have strongly denied any relationship between the two men.