A SELF-APPOINTED Aberystwyth "hard man" who went on a rampage attacking people who weren't from the town has been sent to jail.
Swansea Crown Court heard Ellis McGuninness described as a "self-appointed local hard man"
Ellis McGuninness attacked three people - including breaking the jaw of a university student - and threatened to stab a barman during the late night incident in the coastal town.
Swansea Crown Court heard that the 21-year-old told his victims Aberystwyth was "his town" and he could do whatever he wanted.
McGuinness, of no fixed abode but formerly of Heol Nantoes, Llanbadarn Fawr, had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of common assault, a public order offence, and failing to turn up to court for a hearing when he appeared in the dock today for sentencing.
Dean Pulling, for the prosecution, told the court that just before midnight on March 16 the defendant barged into a man using a cash machine outside the Smith's shop on Terrace Road then punched him in the back of the head telling him "It is my town, I will do whatever I want".
Shortly afterwards on nearby Queen Street he approached a student walking to the university halls of residence and told him to give him money - before asking where he was from. When the student replied he was from Birmingham, McGuinness told him "you are not from my town" and punched him in the face, breaking his jaw and loosening a number of teeth. He then pushed his victim to the floor and hit him again.
McGuinness then returned to Terrace Road where he "made a nuisance of himself" outside the Spar shop before head-butting a passer-by.
He then went to the Angel pub - from which he had previously been banned - and told customers that Aberystwyth was his town and "he would kick everyone here out" before turning on a barman, telling him: "This is my town. I run this town. Somebody is going to stab you after your shift".
The defendant was arrested by police at around 5.45am that morning.
The court heard McGuinness has convictions for 35 offences, of which eight are for violence including a robbery committed when he was aged just 12, battery, affray, actual bodily harm, and racially aggravated public order.
Frank Phillips, for McGuinness, said his client wished to apologise to his victims, adding "It is difficult to put forward an explanation for what he did".
Judge Paul Thomas QC said the defendant had carried out a series of unprovoked attacks.
He told him: "You appointed yourself some kind of local hard-man - but put simply you are a violent thug."
The judge added: "It's not your town - it's everyone's town."
McGuinness was sentenced to 20 months in prison for the actual bodily harm, and two months for each of the common assault and public order matters, all sentences to run concurrently.
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