TWO Suffolk men are awaiting sentence today after they drank "lethal" cocktails before punching a stranger.James Craft and Alistair Donohoe, both 18, admitted assault and threatening behaviour, after drinking a concoction they called jungle juice – made up of beer, cider, vodka and fruit juice.

By Amanda Cresswell

TWO Suffolk men are awaiting sentence today after they drank "lethal" cocktails before punching a stranger.

James Craft and Alistair Donohoe, both 18, admitted assault and threatening behaviour, after drinking a concoction they called jungle juice – made up of beer, cider, vodka and fruit juice.

South East Suffolk Magistrates heard a third man, a youth, was sentenced at an earlier hearing on July 1 for instigating the assault.

The teenage victim's injuries included a cut to the left side of his forehead, which bled heavily down his face. The 19-year-old was with friends outside Pier Amusements in Felixstowe's Undercliff Road West, when a group walked past, South East Suffolk Magistrates were told.

"One of the males approached one of the victim's friends and started harassing her," said prosecutor Gareth Davies.

The victim told the youth he did not want any trouble.

He went into the arcade and was threatened by two men before a fight broke out.

The court heard a third man, the youth sentenced at the earlier hearing, started the fight by hitting the victim with a pool cue.

Craft, of Glemsford Close, Felixstowe, and Donohoe of Red House Close, Trimley St Martin, joined in playing a "lesser role in the attack", said Mr Davies. Magistrates were told the two did not use weapons but punched the victim.

"The major part of [the victim's] injuries was probably caused by the snooker cue," explained Mr Davies.

Nicky Edgar, mitigating, said the two youths had been out drinking Jungle Juice with friends for several hours.

"I am surprised they could actually walk," she said. "It was one drink short of alcohol poisoning.

The two claimed they were eating chips when a group barged into them. The victim was later asked about what had happened outside, which could have been taken another way.

"It was a horrifying experience for the recipient," said Ms Edgar. "But in these young defendants cases they did not deliberately put that young man in that situation," she said.

She added: "The main antagonist has already been dealt with, having taken full responsibility." He was given a 12 month referral order and ordered to pay £125 compensation to the victim plus £30 costs.

Bench chairman Graham Barnett adjourned the case for reports before sentencing on August 19.

He told the men: "You should not assume a custodial sentence is ruled out." He said the aggravating features were the "group action and alcohol was involved," adding the mixture was "pretty lethal."