A bully’s baseball bat violence forced a fellow student to abandon his course, York Crown Court heard.

The student feared for his safety after his 17-year-old tormentor threatened him with the weapon and orchestrated a raid on the victim’s room in which his accomplice stole a laptop and other items, said Alan Mitcheson, prosecuting.

The bully had already attacked him once and beaten the victim’s friend up with the baseball bat. Giving the bully a 12-month custodial sentence, Recorder Paul Miller said: “I’m afraid you have reached the end of the line.

“These matters are too serious for me to deal with other than by imposing a detention and training order.”

The bully, from south York, admitted aggravated burglary, assault and causing actual bodily harm.

His accomplice, a 16-year-old fellow student from the Vale of York, admitted aggravated burglary and was given 12 months’ supervision with 75 hours’ unpaid work. His barrister, Henry Prosser, said he only got involved because he was afraid of the 17-year-old.

The court heard that both have had to leave their courses since their crimes.

Neither can be identified for legal reasons.

Mr Mitcheson said the first victim’s career had suffered because he had left his course after the series of crimes on December 17. It had also affected his parents’ financially. The attacks occurred in student accommodation and he no longer felt safe there.

On December 17, the 17-year-old beat him up shortly after midday over a computer game he had borrowed and allegedly damaged.

The two defendants took another game belonging to a fourth student from his room.

The second game’s owner reclaimed it peacefully, but shortly after 6pm, the bully beat him up with the baseball bat, leaving him with bruised ribs.

Then the two burglars went to the first student’s room. None of the stolen property has been recovered.

For the bully, Mark Thompson, said he had had a difficult childhood, but he was perhaps showing signs of maturity.