A 20-year-old man threw a punch at another male which caused 'a cracking sound' within earshot of a police officer.

Kieran Shire, who had previously been warned about his behaviour by police that night in Worcester city centre, was searched and found to have cocaine in his pocket.

He admitted common assault and possession of cocaine, a class A drug, when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Thursday following the incident on April 24 this year.

Police had already had 'a conversation' with Shire earlier in the evening about his behaviour before they were called to deal with another matter at around 11.45pm, said Melanie Winterflood, prosecuting.

Miss Winterflood said later on that evening an officer was standing in Angel Street, about to 10 or 15 metres away from the defendant, when he saw him with another male, Ethan Inett.

"He describes Mr Shire bringing his right hand up to his right cheek to form a fist and his right arm extend towards this male. He says he doesn't see any part of Mr Shire make contact but he hears a cracking sound that sounds like a punch," she said.

During his arrest Shire was searched and, in his right trouser pocket, officers found a white powder later identified as cocaine.

Miss Winterflood told magistrates the victim in the case had not provided a statement, refused to co-operate with police and did not want to be involved. As a result there was no victim personal statement and no application for compensation.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said Shire had made full and frank admissions in police interview, telling officers he could not really remember but that 'things were starting to come back to him'.

Mr Turnbull said there had been a conversation between Shire and another male and the defendant had 'taken a swing for him'. "It's not clear precisely whether that punch connected - Mr Shire certainly doesn't recall" he said.

Shire of Broadmeadow, Droitwich, had recently lost his job as a labourer because of an arm injury and had 'limited previous convictions'.

A section four public order offence was withdrawn by the prosecution.

Magistrates fined him £120 for each offence, ordered him to pay a £70 contribution towards costs and a £34 victim surcharge. They ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cocaine.