An Aberystwyth student who was left in a coma after being attacked earlier this year has had assault charges against him dropped.

Ifan Richards Owens, 20, was left in hospital in a critical condition after being attacked in the early hours of Sunday, 14 January, and is still recovering from his injuries.

It emerged in July that Mr Owens, of St John’s Crescent, Canton in Cardiff, was facing assault charges himself - but an initial hearing heard they may be dropped because of his “severe brain injury”.

He was accused of assaulting Paul Button on 12 December, 2017, and of causing Mr Button actual bodily harm on the same day.

He was also charged with assaulting Gerard Coughlin on the same date.

The case has been adjourned and delayed several times as the Crown Prosecution Service was asked to consider medical evidence.

Due to appear again before Aberystwyth magistrates this morning, the court heard the case against Owens had been discontinued by the CPS.

No details of the reason for the discontinuation were given.