FOUR people who attacked a couple as they walked through the Island Greens shopping centre at Wrexham at night have been ordered to pay substantial compensation.

Victim Carl Hughes will receive £1,200 and his girlfriend Suzanne Roberts £1,100.

Both were kicked and Miss Roberts, who went to her boyfriend's aid, was head-butted in the face, Mold Crown Court was told.

Mark Williams, 23, of Delaware Avenue, Christopher Underhill, 22, of Wheatsheaf Lane, Lucy Kirkpatrick, 20, of Heol Hyfryd, and Michael Warburton, 21, of Third Avenue, all Gwersyllt, admitted affray but escaped an immediate custodial sentence.

Sentencing them, Judge Merfyn Hughes QC said: 'On Saturday, October 15 last year, each of you were involved to a greater or lesser degree, in a disgraceful incident of violence in the streets of Wrexham.

'You will know the concern which the public feel about people who behave like this.'

The fact there were no serious injuries inflicted on the two victims did not mean the court would not treat the case very seriously.

The judge said, in his judgement, Mark Williams was the most involved.

He started it and when he assaulted Carl Hughes, he was joined by Underhill, while Kirkpatrick and Warburton encouraged them.

When Mr Hughes fell to the floor, he was still assaulted by Hughes and Underhill.

Mr Hughes' girlfriend, Suzanne Roberts, went to stop Warburton from doing anything to her boyfriend, Kirkpatrick ran at her and head-butted her in the face.

Miss Roberts was also kicked on the back of the legs by Warburton.

'It seems all of you were then involved in kicking Carl Hughes and Suzanne Roberts.'

All defendants had been drinking, the males particularly heavily indeed, but that was no excuse, the judge said.

They all received community penalties and the judge made an exclusion order which means they are banned from Wrexham town centre between 8pm-7am for six months.

Williams was placed on supervision for 18 months with 240 unpaid hours, and Underhill, Kirkpatrick and Warburton were ordered to do 150 unpaid hours.

All four were placed on an alcohol education course.

The judge ordered that Carl Hughes should receive £1,200 in compensation from the defendants - Williams must pay £500, Underhill £400 and Warburton £300.

Miss Roberts will receive £1,100 - £200 from Williams and Underhill, £400 from Kirkpatrick and £300 from Warburton.