A LYDNEY man pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in public, and assaulting a woman.

Leighton Wright, 40, of Highbrook Way, admitted to the offences which occurred in Chepstow on December 19, 2025.

Newport Magistrates’ court heard the victim of the assault was walking through a park on Welsh Street around 7.45pm, when Wright appeared out of the darkness and grabbed her arm.

The 19-year-old victim was able to escape and ran to two members of the public, who were able to call the police.

Jess Taylor-Gooddard, prosecuting, said: “She was fearful, on her own in the dark” and called it an “unprovoked attack".

Wright initially pleaded not guilty at court in April, but changed his plea having reviewed the evidence of CCTV and police body-worn footage.

Wright told the court that he’d left Lydney by train to Chepstow at 5.30pm. He alleges that he was spiked, as he cannot remember anything following his second pint. He added that he lost his keys and phone, and sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury.

Wright, who had been on a Christmas do earlier in the day, said: “I had no alcohol beforehand, I don’t touch drugs, never have and never will. It’s just not me.”

The court heard that Wright didn’t understand how he became so intoxicated. It heard how Wright felt “shocked and appalled” after viewing the footage and he was “extremely sorry for the offence”.

District Judge Sophie Toms said: “There were no injuries, but the psychological effects would have been difficult for her.

“You don’t know how it will affect her going out at night.”

The judge imposed a six months community order, inclusive of a curfew tag for three months and an alcohol monitoring tag for 90 days. The curfew tag is in place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

District Judge Toms said: “The next three months you won’t be going out at night time for those nights.

“The purpose is to stop you going out and having fun, frankly.”

Wright was also ordered to pay £414 in costs including victim compensation and a mandatory surcharge.