A BINGE drinker downed anti-depressants and 20 pints of Guinness before viciously assaulting a stranger outside a nightclub.

Stephen Mitchell, 36, of Boundary Walk, Trowbridge, attacked student Adrian Evans from behind as he left The Junction, Mortimer Street, in the town.

Anna Humphries, prosecuting, told Trowbridge magistrates that Mitchell spent £60 on Guinness, around 20 pints, before the attack despite being on prescription anti-depressants.

She said Mr Evans was leaving the club with friends in the early hours of November 10 when he was knocked unconscious after being attacked from behind.

He woke up as he was being put into an ambulance by paramedics but was unable to say who attacked him.

He suffered a fat upper lip, deep cuts on his forehead and mouth, and bruises.

Miss Humphries said police arrived and found Mitchell at the scene, who said he had hit Mr Evans "a couple of times."

She said: "He didn't remember going into The Junction and didn't really recall the incident but accepts he did assault the injured party due to the grazing on his knuckles."

John Elliott, defending, said Mitchell got into trouble when he goes binge drinking.

Mr Elliott told the court the waiting lists at counselling services like the Bath and Area Drugs Advisory Service were up to 18 months.

He said: "Mr Mitchell feels in future if he is going out to a pub he needs someone with him to prevent this type of incident happening again.

"It is perhaps remarkable that bar staff can serve someone a quantity of alcohol that my client had that night."

Mitchell, who admitted common assault, was ordered to pay £150 compensation to the victim and £55 costs.

He was given a £100 bind-over to keep the peace for 12 months.

Tony Almond from BADAS said people did not have to wait up to 18 months to get appointments.

He said: "There is a satellite office in Wiltshire but people can come to Bath and get an appointment within the first few days."