THREE men who drunkenly assaulted a stranger have all escaped jail terms.

Magistrates heard Adam Stephen Goss, Matthew Mark Harte and Jonathon James Rowlands kicked and punched a man in the street.

But Chester, Ellesmere Port & Neston deputy district judge Grant Jones said he'd decided not to send them to prison.

Goss, 22, of Princes Road, Ellesmere Port, and his two co-defendants all admitted assaulting 23-year-old Carl Poynton in Chester on August 27.

Harte, 20, of Nevin Road, and Rowlands, 25, of Stamford Road, both Blacon, also admitted using threatening behaviour in public.

The court heard the three had started drinking at about 9.30pm after going into town from Chester City Football Club, where they worked as stewards.

Prosecutor Tony Smith said at about 2.30am Mr Poynton was walking home along Northgate Street.

Mr Smith added: 'As he walked past the Town Hall, four males walked up to him and he tried to walk round them.

'He says, without warning, three of them started punching him round the head. He fell to the floor.'

The court heard Mr Poynton claimed all three were kicking his head.

He sustained 'bumps and bruises' to the back of his head.

Mr Smith said: 'The three defendants say, first of all, they were assaulted by the victim and they lost it.'

The court was told, after kicking Mr Poynton, Rowlands and Harte then fought each other.

When interviewed later by police, Goss said: 'I am ashamed of what I have done. I can't change it, I will just have to live with the guilt.' Defending him, Richard Simm said: 'He's effectively a man of good character. There's no suggestion in the presentence report he has a predisposition to violence.'

He said Goss lives with his two-year-old son and partner.

Goss was sentenced to 120 hours community service, and Harte to 150 hours. Rowlands got a three-month curfew from 8pm-6am.

All three must each pay £65 costs and £65 compensation to Mr Poynton.

Judge Jones said: 'Count yourselves lucky you didn't go into custody.'