A MAN who was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder following a motorbike accident was acting completely out of character when he committed assault, a court heard.

Steven White, 25, of Warren Wood Drive, High Wycombe, had already pleaded guilty to criminal damage, common assault and using insulting words and behaviour on January 26.

Balbir Seyan, prosecuting at Wycombe Magistrates Court on February 22, said White was in St Peters Court, Chalfont St Peter, with a friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, between 8 and 9.38pm last September 14.

He said: "They left Mr White's home address after consuming two to three bottles of wine and several bottles of champagne. He was on medication similar to Prozac after suffering a road traffic accident 18 months before the incident."

Mr Seyan said White began acting in an odd manner, suffering flashbacks from the motorbike accident. He said the assault happened when the pair went to Forbuoys, High Street, Chalfont St Peter, to get some cigarettes. When there, White threatened two men who had left the shop and ordered them to hand over their mobile phones and punched one of the men in the face, breaking his glasses.

He added White said in interview that he was very drunk and could not recall how he injured his hand.

Stephen Bennett, mitigating, said: "White's GP said the blackouts were probably related to post traumatic stress disorder arising from the accident. He said: "It is accepted that he had drunk a significant amount of alcohol that day and had been drinking in the afternoon and that was whilst he was on medication." Mr Bennett said all things combined "had caused him to behave in a way Steven White would not normally behave."

White was given 60 hours community service and ordered to pay £100 compensation to one of the men and £55 costs.