Two Brighton and Hove teenagers face trial after man left in coma

Two teenagers from Brighton and Hove are to go on trial charged with assault after a man was attacked and left in a coma.

Max Corbett, 19, unemployed, of Albany Villas, Hove, and a 17-year-old boy from Brighton are accused of attacking three other men in separate incidents on the same night.

The pair denied assault charges when they appeared at Hove Crown Court today (Friday 26 April).

Corbett was also charged with having a class C drug, ketamine, and has pleaded guilty.

They are alleged to have driven a moped the wrong way down St James’s Street in Brighton in the early hours of Friday 26 October last year.

This led to a confrontation with a 36-year-old man from Brighton. He was attacked and suffered head injuries.

The man spent several months in a medically induced coma at Hurstwood Park Neurosciences Centre in Haywards Heath as a result of the attack.

Shortly afterwards, at about 12.45am, the teenagers are accused of going into a bar in Cranbourne Street, Brighton, and attacking the landlord when he refused to serve them.

At about 2am they are alleged to have robbed two men aged 20 and 21 near The Level in Brighton.

Both victims were left with cuts and bruises after the muggings in Washington Street. One had an iPhone stolen and the other a BlackBerry, cards and £20 cash although their possessions were later recovered.

Corbett, who was 18 at the time, and the boy with him were both arrested by officers from Sussex Police a short time later.

The pair have been charged with assaulting the 36-year-old man in St James’s Street, causing him grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent.

They have been charged with assaulting the other three men, causing them actual bodily harm (ABH).

They were told that they would go on trial on Monday 12 August.