A teenager with an ambition to join the Royal Marines has been forced to put his plans on hold for a year after admitting a drunken assault.

Jack Tilby, aged 19, of 13 Rhyd Fach, Llwyn Celyn, Aberaeron, pleaded guilty to assaulting Colin George by beating in New Quay on March 19, when he appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates on Wednesday.

The court heard that Mr George was picking his daughter up at 10pm after she finished work at Quay West, when he saw the defendant staggering around in the car park.

Vaughan Pritchard- Jones, prosecuting, told the court Tilby, who also worked at the holiday park, had been drinking since 4pm on the day in question and could not remember anything after 9pm.

The victim said he was able to dodge a punch thrown by the defendant, but Tilby then pulled him to the ground and tried to put his hand over his face.

Tilby got up and walked then ran away when the pair were caught in the headlights of a car arriving at the scene.

Tilby, who represented himself, told the court he wished to express his ‘sincere apologies’, and had attempted to apologise to Mr George, who didn’t want to see him.

He added: “I completely understand why he wouldn’t want to see me again. This made me lose my job, I’ve got another one now. I was going to join the Royal Marines, but this has set me back a year.”

Magistrates imposed a six month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay a £15 victim surcharge and £20 towards court costs.

The presiding magistrate said: “You lost your job because of this, but you went straight back out and got another one, which is to your credit, not a lot of people would do that. And you have also shown remorse.

“We wish you luck with your quest to join the marines.”