A MAN has been warned he faces jail after breaking another man’s jaw in Aberystwyth during a series of attacks.

Ellis Ray McGuinness, 21, of no fixed abode but formerly of Dihewyd and Heol Nanteos, Llanbadarn Fawr, pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm, two of assault and one of threatening behaviour at Aberystwyth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

He also pleaded guilty to failure to attend court on 7 July, when his case was originally meant to be heard.

The court heard that McGuinness had approached a man in Aberystwyth town centre on the evening of 16 March to ask if he had any “weed” or any money.

When the man showed him a handful of pound coins in his wallet, McGuinness punched him - breaking his jaw - and pushed him to the floor.

The victim, Joshua McLeish, required surgery at a Birmingham hospital for his injuries.

In “linked incidents” that saw McGuinness “going around the town”, the court heard that he assaulted Ryan Pilkington and then David Evans by beating.

In a separate incident McGuinness used threatening and abusive behaviour to another man.

The court heard from defence solicitor Alison Mathias that McGuinness accepts there “was no rhyme or reason” for his actions that night or “why he behaved in this manner”.

Ms Mathias told the court that McGuinness was “sorry” for not attending the first hearing, which led to magistrates issuing a warrant for his arrest.

“He was extremely concerned about the proceedings and panicked,” Ms Mathias told the court.

The court heard that the sentence would “likely be more than six months in custody”, and magistrates declined jurisdiction to sentence in the case arguing the court’s “sentencing powers aren’t sufficient”.

Magistrates can impose a jail sentence of up to six months, but sentencing will now be carried out at crown court.

After his missed hearing date, McGuinness turned himself in at Lampeter police station on Tuesday, 12 July - a day before his Aberystwyth hearing - and spent the night behind bars.

He was remanded in custody until his sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, 5 August.