Prosecutors have dropped charges against a man accused of assaulting two people after one said he could not really remember what happened.

Thomas Hammerton, 22, had pleaded not guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and common assault on two men in Chippenham in the early hours of Sunday, May 27, last year.

Hammerton, who has no previous convictions, had been due to face trial by jury at Swindon Crown Court but the case was brought back before a judge on Friday so the Crown could offer no evidence on the two charges.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said both complainants had made it clear that they did not wish to testify at a trial.

He said: "One casted doubts on his own memory of the matter. We did consider witness summons, but decided not to."

Hammerton, of Nursery Road, Colerne, had pleaded not guilty to causing actual bodily harm to Thomas McAlonan and common assault of Thomas Cawley.

It had been alleged that the incident took place close to the Subway sandwich shop in Chippenham town centre.

Judge Douglas Field entered formal not guilty verdicts and granted a defendant's costs order for Hammerton's out of pocket expenses.