GAZETTE & HERALD: BARBER Daniel Ryan punched a teenage student to the ground and then kicked him in the head, a court heard.

The attack took place within 15 feet of a police officer who was following Ryan and another man after they had been asked to leave a pub.

Ryan, 20, of Plantation Road, Chippenham, told police he had been binge drinking in Bath during the day.

He said he had drunk around 13 vodkas and ten pints of lager during the day.

He had no memory of the unprovoked attack which took place near The Bridge, Chippenham, on January 18, the day before his birthday.

He also said he could not remember spitting in a policeman's face as officers struggled to restrain him after the assault.

Ryan admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and assaulting a police constable at Chippenham Magistrates Court last Thursday.

Prosecuting, Louisa Thomas said the 17-year-old student was in Chippenham town centre "having a laugh" with another teenager.

The teenagers were standing on a footpath near the side of Wilkinson when two men approached them.

One of the men, later identified as Ryan, said "what are you looking at," before striking the student on the side of the head.

Mrs Thomas said the student believed he lost consciousness because the next thing he remembered was finding himself on the floor, with his friend telling him what had happened.

According to the friend's statement, the two teenagers attempted to walk away into Island Park when they were approached.

But Ryan followed them and then attacked.

Mrs Thomas told the court how Ryan "took a big swing with his foot" before kicking the student, whose head had moved sharply with the impact.

Mrs Thomas told the court that earlier in the evening police went to the Black Horse pub, New Road, having been told that two men were refusing to leave.

One of the officers described the two men, one of whom was Ryan, as "extremely unsteady on foot and

staggering around".

He decided to follow the men at a discreet distance because he was concerned they might cause trouble.

Mrs Thomas said the police officer was standing 15ft away when the assault took place.

The officer saw Ryan kick the victim's head "as if he was kicking a football".

Police officers pounced and had to put Ryan in leg restraints because he was attempting to kick out.

He spat on an officer's face during the struggle and was arrested.

Defending Tim Hammick, said: "My client acknowledges that this was an appalling incident that should not have happened in any shape or form.

"He is genuinely upset and concerned about his behaviour on that night, which was something very much out of character."

The court heard that Ryan had a drug problem for a number of years, but was now off them.

Unfortunately, he had started drinking instead and received a caution for being drunk and disorderly in December last year, said Mr Hammick.

Mr Hammick said his client had got the wrong end of the stick when the student and his friend were play fighting.

He said that Ryan would never have reacted in the way that he did if someone had not said something to him.

"The teenagers were play fighting with each other, and it appears my client got the wrong end of the stick and became involved when he should not have," he said.

Chippenham magistrates decided to commit the case to Swindon Crown Court for sentence.

Ryan was released on unconditional bail.