TWO pub-goers left a fellow drinker with two black eyes after a shocking beer garden attack which was captured by a CCTV camera.

Ryan Davies and Leighton Pearce repeatedly punched their victim Paul Harris at the Pen & Wig in Newport, prosecutor Abigail Jackson said.

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The city’s crown court heard how Pearce’s girlfriend was also involved in the violence and was later cautioned by the police.

Davies and Pearce were charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and pleaded guilty after the video footage was played to them in court.

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Miss Jackson said Pearce had returned to the Pen & Wig after assaulting Mr Harris and asked the pub manager to delete the CCTV.

The film was shown to Judge Catherine Richards before she sentenced the pair for the attack which took place on September 16, 2020.

The prosecutor said: “Paul Harris and his girlfriend Rebecca James were in the beer garden of the Pen & Wig at around 6pm when the two defendants, who he had known for some time, joined them.

“Mr Harris got up and left and went inside because he and Leighton Pearce do not get on.

“He returned and spoke to his girlfriend and said, ‘It’s time to go.’

“Both defendants made comments towards him with Miss James describing them as picking on him.

“Davies punched him to the face a number of times causing him to fall to the floor.

“Pearce stood over Mr Harris and was shouting at him on the floor.

“He then helped him to his feet, placed him in a standing position by a nearby fence and punched him to the face a number of times.”

Miss Jackson added: “Leighton Pearce returned to the pub later on and asked the manager to delete the CCTV footage.”

Mr Harris suffered two black eyes, bruising to his face, cuts to his nose and ear and sore ribs.

Davies, 25, of Caerau Crescent, Newport, had six convictions for nine offences, the most recent for being drunk and disorderly in 2015.

Pearce, 32, of Chelmer Walk, Bettws, Newport, had 12 previous convictions for 24 offences, including wounding from 11 years ago.

Ben Waters, representing Davies, said his client had been accepted as a student to study architectural and environmental engineering at Bristol University in September.

He told the court the defendant was “disgusted and ashamed” of his actions against Mr Harris.

Mr Waters added how Davies had himself been the victim of a pub attack which left him needing 27 stitches.

Lucy Crowther, mitigating for Pearce, said: “The defendant has repeatedly expressed his remorse for his behaviour.

“He’s very much aware he’s got an anger issue.”

Judge Richards told the defendants: “You were both under the influence of alcohol which aggravates your positions.”

But she said she was able to withdraw from immediate custody because she believed the pair were capable of being rehabilitated within the community.

Davies was sent to prison for 29 weeks, suspended for 12 months, ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Pearce was jailed for nine months, suspended for 12 months, made the subject of a drug rehabilitation requirement and a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Both will have to pay a victim surcharge.

No order for costs or compensation was made.