A man who caused catastrophic injuries to a Pembroke man during a disturbance in Tenby has been cleared of blame after a jury decided he had acted in self defence.

Marcus Illsley punched Ben Hunter who fell backwards and hit his head on the ground.

Swansea Crown Court heard that he spent two weeks on a life support machine and then several months in hospital.

Illsley, from Manchester, denied causing grievous bodily harm on the grounds that he had acted in self defence.

The jury heard how the two men were with separate groups of friends when they clashed at the junction of Lower Frog Street and St. George's Street in the early hours of September 10 last year.

Mr Hunter's then fiancee, Charlotte Boorman - now his wife - stumbled in the road, which brought jeering from Illsley's group.

Mr. Hunter's group responded with words of their own and as they came together Illsley landed a single punch to Mr. Hunter's chest, with what prosecuting barrister Francis Jones described as devastating consequences.

Ceri Deakin, the girlfriend of Charlotte Boorman's brother, Tim, said Mr. Hunter had had his hands by his side and had not threatened Illsley.

Local taxi driver Robert Evans said he heard one of Mr. Hunter's group say to the others "why don't you grow up" and then saw Mr. Hunter falling backwards 'like a plank of wood'.

Illsley, from Manchester, told the jury he thought Mr. Hunter was about to hit him and struck out to protect himself.

He left the scene immediately and did not find out until later that Mr. Hunter was in a coma.