TWO men from Pontypool have denied assaulting two police officers last summer - but a third man has admitted it.

CJ Reed, 24, and Morgan Stark, 30, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court, where both pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker, dating back to August 8, 2021.

The pair’s co-defendant Dawson Lee Mark, 55, of The Woodlands in Penygarn, previously pleaded guilty to both counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker at Newport Magistrates’ Court on June 16.

The trio are accused of jointly assaulting PC Woodham and PC Brown of Gwent Police on August 8 last year.

Judge Paul Hobson told Reed, of The Links in Trevethin, and Stark, of Barn Close in Trevethin, they will face trial in January.

A fourth man, 29-year-old Damian Griffin, of The Birches in Pontnewydd, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday and admitted escaping from lawful custody – also on August 8, 2021.

Addressing Mark and Griffin, Judge Hobson said: “Your sentence will have to wait until the resolution of the case of your two co-defendants.

“I’m afraid you have to wait.”

All four men were granted unconditional bail.