A TEENAGE girl has been spared jail for her role in a terrifying gang attack with a crowbar on a fellow teen.

Lauren Coveney, from Midhurst, was part of gang of teenage girls who battered a 14-year-old girl with a crowbar leaving her with "extremely serious" injuries.

The 19-year-old was given a 12-month suspended sentence for grevious bodily harm by a crown court judge on Friday while an accomplice, also from Midhurst who cannot be named due to her age, received a 12-month referral order.

A third member of the gang, Sophie Burrows of Godalming, Surrey, was jailed for 14 months for her part in the “horrific” attack at Stoughton recreation ground in Northway, Guildford, in Surrey, on the evening of January 9 2016.

The girl, who cannot be named, was left with a head injury, fractured nose, bruised ribs and two black eyes in the brutal assault.

Police said the attack has had a "profound effect" on the youngster's life leaving her traumatised by the incident which continued with further bullying forcing her to move schools.

After the attack, the gang attempted to destroy the evidence in what has been described as a chilling display of criminal awareness and only handed themselves in after officers launched an appeal to track them down.

The group admitted causing grievous bodily harm and were sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Friday.

The attackers have been ordered to pay their victim £960 in compensation.

Detective Constable Carina Jewell said: "This was a horrific and violent attack which has had a profound effect on a teenage girl's life.

"As well as suffering extremely serious injuries, she was left traumatised by the incident and suffered continued bullying and abuse as a result.

"She was eventually forced to move schools for a fresh start.

"A media appeal was issued following the incident and it was the attention on social media that led to the girls eventually handing themselves in at Guildford Police Station.

"At first they denied using any kind of weapon during the attack but messages were found on all their phones mentioning the assault and the crowbar and how to clean it, and all three were subsequently charged with GBH."

DC Jewell commended their victim for coming forward and giving evidence against her attackers "under very challenging circumstances".

She said: "I hope that the sentence handed out today serves as a stark reminder that we will not tolerate violence in our local communities and that we will remain committed to bringing those who commit such offences to justice."