A THUG who claimed “Aberystwyth is my town and I run it” has been jailed for attacking strangers he perceived to be from elsewhere.

Ellis McGuinness, aged 21, attacked three people and threatened to stab a fourth.

He was jailed for 20 months on Friday at Swansea Crown Court after a judge told him: “There is no doubt you are a substantial nuisance to the people of Aberystwyth”.

McGuinness admitted causing grievous bodily harm, two offences of assault and one of using threatening behaviour.

Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court how, on 16 March, McGuinness was seen banging on the window of the Spar store in Terrace Road.

Ryan Pilkington was standing nearby using a cashpoint and McGuinness suddenly barged into him and thumped him to the ground.

Stephen Nicholson, who was working at the store, took him inside because he thought McGuinness was going to attack him again. As he did so, McGuinness shouted, “It’s my town. I will do what I like.”

McGuinness then came across student Joshua McLeish in Queen Street and asked him where he was from. After he said he was from Birmingham, McGuinness hit him so hard he broke his jaw.

Shortly afterwards, McGuinness was back outside the Spar store, where he head-butted Daniel Evans and again Mr Nicholson intervened to protect the victim.

Mr Pulling said McGuinness then went to the Angel pub, where barman Christopher Kennedy told him he was already barred.

McGuinness said: “This is my town. I will take everyone out. I will get 20 boys down.”

McGuinness left, but returned with a friend and threatened to stab Mr Kennedy.

“I run this town. You will be stabbed after your shift,” he added.

Aberystwyth-born McGuinness, of no fixed address, was arrested shortly afterwards.

His barrister, Frank Phillips, said he wanted to apologise to his victims.

“It is difficult to explain why he did it. It was probably the alcohol,” added Mr Phillips.

Judge Paul Thomas told McGuinness: “It is not your town, it is everyone’s town. This was a series of unprovoked attacks on people just because you thought they were not local.

“You seem to think you can rampage around Aberystwyth.

“You see yourself as a local hardman and relish it.

“You are a violent thug and it is time that your activities come to an end,” added the judge.

McGuinness was jailed for 20 months, and will miss the birth of his child.