An Exmouth teenager has been bound over to keep the peace following a fight that broke out in The Strand last year.

The Exeter Crown Court trial of Louis Jeans, 19, of Holland Road, on Monday collapsed half way through after the prosecution offered no evidence.

Jeans had denied assaulting Alan Walton in the early hours of August 22, 2010 and also pleaded not guilty to a second charge of affray and threatening unlawful violence towards others.

The judge ordered him to keep the peace for 12 months or face paying a �250 fine.

Michael Jame Mounternay Hirst, 20, of Fraser Road, has pleaded guilty to three counts of committing grievous bodily harm, assault and affray, following the attack.

Hirst has been remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing tomorrow, Friday.

Last month, Exeter Crown Court heard there was an ‘overwhelming likelihood’ Hirst would be jailed.

On Monday, the court heard how Leigh Begam, 27, was kicked and punched unconscious in The Strand as he tried in vain to defuse an argument of ‘throw away comments’ between him, his friend and a group of men, which included Jeans and Hirst.

Giving evidence, Alan Walton, 30, told the jury how he was also set upon by the group after he had walked away from the argument, but returned to protect his unconscious friend.

Mr Walton said Mr Begam, who needed extensive surgery to repair torn lips, had acted as ‘peacemaker’ but was set upon after the row became ‘verbally aggressive’.

Mr Walton, who suffered cuts to his eye, requiring stitches, said: “It all happened very quickly.

“I was aware I was being struck in the face. I felt a swimming feeling, I felt like I was going to fall. I took myself down. I put my hands up around my head.”