WELDER James Beadle launched a late night attack on a pair of skateboarders and then said he could remember nothing as he had drunk 15 pints of beer, a court heard yesterday.

Magistrates were told by Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, how Beadle, 20, was with friends in the centre of Ripon last October when their path was crossed by a group walking home after a skateboarding session.

Mr Butterworth said one of the boarders, Natasha Howe, later told police they had tried to keep walking when a commotion started and when it turned serious, Tim Maynard had tried to split things up.

"He was punched twice to the side of his face for his trouble," said Mr Butterworth.

Miss Howe saw the incident and was also punched by Beadle, once to her nose which began to bleed.

Police found Beadle - once of Bondgate Green Close, Ripon, and now living with his pregnant girlfriend at the city's Canal Wharf - still nearby but he tried to run away.

Beadle pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and was put on probation for 18 months and ordered to pay costs of £55 as well as £100 to Miss Howe and £50 to Mr Maynard.

He admitted two more counts of resisting police and one of threatening behaviour on Christmas Day.

An 18-month concurrent probation order was made on the public order charge, along with £55 costs. Three £50 fines were levied for the resisting police offences.

Geoffrey Rogers in mitigation told Harrogate magistrates that Beadle had been drinking heavily.