TWO men and a youth have today pleaded guilty to offences involving assaulting two men in Coleford in February and possession of a knife, but deny that they had an imitation firearm.

Leon Davis, 22 of no fixed abode; James Taplin, 19, of Nind Lane, Kingswood, and the youth, from West Yorkshire, who cannot be named for legal reasons, entered their pleas today at Gloucester Crown Court, having previously denied all offences.

Prosecutor, Robert Morgan-Jones, told Judge Jamie Tabor QC that the limited pleas were acceptable and the Crown Prosecution Service did not seek a trial in relation to the denied charge of possession of an imitation firearm whilst committing an offence.

The judge accepted the prosecution submission and said "I understand that the imitation firearm was very much on the 'imitation' end of the scale."

All three defendants pleaded guilty to assaulting both Michael Jones and Anthony Cooper causing them actual bodily harm on February 7 this year.

Each defendant also entered guilty pleas to criminally damaging a door, bed, chest of drawers, bookcase, electricity meter, bedside light and window belonging to Mr Cooper.

The judge remarked that "they trashed the flat."

James Taplin also admitted being in possession of a bladed article, a knife, on Spout Lane in Coleford on February 7.

The case has been adjourned for sentence until Wednesday, July 19, so that the youth can have a pre-sentence report prepared about him.

Defence lawyers for Taplin and Davis did not request reports.

All defendants will be sentenced together.

The youth was bailed back to the North of England, whilst Taplin and Davis were remanded in custody prior to the sentencing hearing.