THREE men have admitted to beating a man outside a pub in Andover which left him with serious facial injuries.

The 37-year-old man was found in the alleyway next The Globe, in High Street, at around 9.30am on Monday, January 9, 2017.

During the first day of their trial at Winchester Crown Court, on Monday, June 4, Stewart Bridgman, 33, Kyle Heald, 23, and Thomas Timmins, 29 and of Turnpike Crescent, Andover, all pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH).

Prosecutors accepted the pleas to the lesser charge after previously pleading not guilty to conspiracy to commit GBH.

During the police investigation into the attack The Globe was searched, and the injured man was taken to Southampton General Hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Bridgman, of Levens Way, Chesterfield, and Heald, formerly of Wood Park, Ludgershall and now of Tintagel Close, King Arthurs Way, also admitted to theft of a vehicle at an earlier hearing.

A fourth man 26-year-old Samuel Day failed to appear at court after he absconded, with police making efforts to find him.

At an earlier hearing on Friday, June 1, Judge Jane Miller QC was told that Day had not made contact with his solicitors since January.

Day and Heald had also denied arson in respect of a burnt-out car but in exchange for the appearing defendants’ guilty pleas to GBH prosecuting barrister Jodie Mittell dropped the charge.

Bridgman, Heald and Timmins will be sentenced on Friday, June 22, and investigations will continue to track down Day.