A GANG of three teenagers kicked, punched and slashed a man with a knife in a “brutal attack” in Aberystwyth, a court has heard.

Swansea Crown Court heard last week that Corben Jack Pemberton, of Parc Dinas, Aberystwyth; Romao Yarwood of Dodmoor Grange, Randlay, Telford; and a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age, fled the scene following the assault – dumping the knife they had used in a nearby drain and leaving their victim bleeding in the street.

The victim, Lee Anderson-Warnes, had gone to Castle Street on 15 June to conclude a cannabis deal after making arrangements via Snapchat, the court heard.

Once there he was “jumped” by the trio who were laying in wait for him.

The court heard the defendant was beaten, kicked, and slashed with a knife on a number of occasions and was struck with an object which he believes was a hammer.

Pemberton, 19, Yarwood, 18, and the 17-year-old ran off and as he fled the scene Yarwood was seen to put an object down a nearby drain.

The court heard that passersby had rushed to assist the injured man and the police were called.

The court heard 23-year-old Mr Anderson-Warnes suffered six cuts to his head and leg that required 17 stitches.

The trio were identified by police over the following days and all arrested in Aberystwyth.

A large carving knife was later recovered from the drain near the scene of the assault.

A police examination of messages on the defendants’ phones turned up evidence which suggested the attack had been planned.

The three teens had all pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent at a previous hearing.

Yarwood had also previously pleaded to possession of a bladed article.

The court heard that Pemberton, who has two previous convictions for ABH, had come from a “difficult background”.

Yarwood, who was was subject to a youth referral order for a knifepoint robbery at the time of the assault and had previous convictions for other violence offences, had been taken into care aged seven and had had a “poor start in life”, the court heard.

Yarwood had moved to Aberystwyth to be with a girl but the relationship had not worked out and he had started taking drugs including cocaine, the court was told.

Judge Huw Rees told the court that while he was “mindful of the young age of the defendants”, they had “committed a serious offence.”

With discounts for their guilty pleas, Pemberton was sentenced to three years and 10 months detention and Yarwood to three years detention while the youth was given a 12-month detention and training order.