TWO MEN admitted their part in a midnight hour melee outside a Chester city centre pub.

Philip Barlow, 19, and Cameron Edwards, 20, pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour at Chester Magistrates Court on Monday (March 11).

Prosecuting, Alan Currums told the court that at 11.40pm on February 22 Barlow and Edwards aimed kicks and punches during a melee involving several individuals outside Off the Wall pub on St John Street in Chester.

CCTV footage, relayed to the court, showed Barlow, of Wordsworth Crescent, Chester, aiming a kick at an unknown male. The footage then showed how Edwards, of Llys-Y-Wennal, Northop Hall, ran across the street and pulled an unknown male to the floor and aimed a kick at him, but failed to connect.

Both defendants attempted to flee once police officers arrived on the scene, but were arrested shortly afterwards.

The court heard that Edwards, following his arrest, was also found to be in possession of a quantity of a Class B drug in the form of ketamine.

Acting as defence solicitor for both defendants, Richard Thomas said Edwards ran to where a friend had become isolated in fear for the safety of his friend.

Mr Thomas said: "The incident was completely out of character for the two defendants and no injuries resulted from it.

"Both are or have until recently been in employment, and neither have any prior convictions, so it is clear they are not layabouts who just go out and look to cause trouble.

"They were put in a difficult situation and reacted poorly."

Mr Thomas explained Barlow works as a barman at a Chester pub, while Edwards worked for Balfour Beatty for three and a half years before recently being made redundant. He has since applied for a job as a welder and has applied for a visa to work in New Zealand.

Mark Johns, chair of the magistrates , said: "The general public must be fed up and exasperated with the amount of violent incidents on the streets of Chester.

"They are damaging for the businesses concerned and for people who have to witness this behaviour while out enjoying themselves.

"We have watched the video of this nasty incident and hope you are ashamed of yourselves.

"The blows could easily have resulted in very serious injury."

Barlow and Edwards are due to be sentenced later this month following a full pre-sentence report from the probation service, and a custodial sentence has not been ruled out by magistrates.

Harry Travers, 19, of Chaucer Close, Ewloe, denied the charge of threatening behaviour and will stand trial on March 29.

All three defendants were released on unconditional bail.