An Oswestry teenager left another boy fighting for his life after kneeling on his head and fracturing his skull, a court heard.

Benjamin Evans, 19, had applied "very substantial force" to the victim's head causing life-changing brain damage.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court last week Evans was sentenced to 16 months at a young offenders institute having admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Passing sentence Judge Barrie said Evans he had caused catastrophic injuries to the victim, but the defendant had been genuinely shaken by the consequences of his behaviour.

The court heard that Evans, of Erw Wen, Morda, had handed himself in to police and admitted what he had done following the incident in August last year.

David Iles, prosecuting, said Evans and the victim – two years his junior – knew each other from school and until the attack had a "cordial" relationship.

He said Evans had suspected the victim, or someone he knew, had fired an airgun at him and the two teenagers met on August 24 in the grounds of St Oswald's Church, in Church Street.

Mr Iles said the defendant had punched the younger boy and had continued punching him with "quite some force" to the head and body once he was on the ground and then applied "very substantial force" to the left side of his head with his knee.

It fractured the younger boy's skull and led to a build-up of blood on the brain and he could have died had he not been rushed to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool for "lifesaving" surgery.

The court heard the victim was unconscious for a number of days after the surgery and the long-term effects included memory loss and emotional issues.

Andrew Green, for Evans, said said his client had shown genuine remorse and was truly sorry and ashamed for what he had done.