A wedding guest wearing vintage clothing was left in a pool of blood after allegedly being attacked outside an Exmouth pub by a group of youths – one from Newton Abbot.

Town centre CCTV showed the four alleged assailants going to and from the spot where Terry Middleton was left semi-conscious on the ground.

Mr Middleton and his wife had gone to the Grapevine pub in Victoria Road, Exmouth, after spending the day at a friend’s wedding where all the guests were wearing vintage clothing.

Ayden Barrier, aged 21, of Bradley Lane, Newton Abbot, Matthew Pugsley, aged 21, of Rosebery Road, Exmouth, and Darren Travers, aged 26, of Manor Court, Sidmouth, all deny affray. 

A fourth man Nathan Fowler, aged 20, of Ryll Grove, Exmouth, is not on trial.

Mr James Taghdissian, prosecuting, said Barrier and his three friends exchanged words with a group of men including Mr Middleton outside the Grapevine as they walked past on the night of August 9, 2015.

CCTV showed Barrier turning back and the others following. There was then a fracas outside the pub which left Mr Middleton on the ground in a large pool of blood.

The footage showed Mr Middleton’s wife Fiona remonstrating with the men and then returning to her husband after seeing him on the ground.

Mr Taghdissian said the Crown’s case is that it was group activity and the actions of all three defendants would have put anyone witnessing the scene in fear of violence.

He said Barrier was the first to punch Mr Middleton and one or more of the others may have joined in the attack later.

All three men told police they had either been acting in self defence or had not been involved in the violence.

Mrs Middleton told the jury at Exeter Crown Court she and her husband had been at a friend’s wedding and stopped at the pub on their way home to meet her father and have a final drink.

She said she was inside the pub when she saw violence outside. She went out and tried to stop one of the youths.

She said: ‘I chased one and he said he did not hit women. Another came up and was laughing about not hitting women. He had his top off and said “look at all that blood”.

‘He was laughing and goading me about the blood. It was said jokingly. That was what was so alarming. They were all running about and boasting about it.

‘I saw my husband and screamed. He was on the floor in a big pool of blood. I panicked and went to him. There were others from the pub giving him first aid.’

The trial continues.