A youth of 17 who was out in the streets of Buckley at 2.30am was seen to chase another man, drag him to the ground and kick him on two occasions.

It was accepted at North East Wales Magistrates' Court at Mold that the defendant had initially been acting as a peace maker with his hands in his pockets.

But when he was struck by the older man he chased after him and the incident occurred.

At a youth court he was placed on a two year youth rehabilitation order and he must stay indoors at night under a three month curfew.

He was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs and an £85 surcharge.

The youth admitted an affray in Brunswick Road on November 3 last year which put him in breach of his criminal behaviour order.

Prosecutor Justin Espie said that two females began fighting and it was accepted that the youth's role at that stage was to try and break it up.

A short time later two males started scuffling with each other and again he appeared to be trying to break up the fight.

However, he was approached by an unidentified man, words were exchanged and he attempted to kick that man to the body.

He was then seen to chase the male, drag him to the ground and while he was on the ground he kicked him twice.

Police arrived as people were dispersing and it was only the defendant who had been arrested.

Defending solicitor Gary Harvey stressed that his client had been a peacemaker for much of the time until he himself was assaulted and he chased and assaulted a man after being provoked.

That was the catalyst for what happened. He was responding to the aggression shown to him, he said.

It was accepted that he had chased the other man, apprehended him and aimed blows at him while he was on the ground.

Mr Harvey said that all the other people involved in fighting were not apprehended and faced no charges whatsoever "apart from this young man who was for much of the time the peace-maker," he said.

It was appreciated that his client, who had previous convictions, was at risk of custody but Mr Harvey said his client had turned the corner.

The pre-sentence report was a positive one and the defendant was working long hours.

Asked what he was doing out at such a late hour, the youth told magistrates that he had been to Chester, was on his way home and went to get some food in Buckley.

He conceded that he had been drinking and was "a bit drunk" when one of the conditions of his criminal behaviour order was not to be drunk in a public place.

Magistrates said he should have walked away and told him he could not interfere in other people's arguments.