A BARNE Barton teenager has admitted bottling his cousin in a booze-fuelled attack — but only after his trial "shuddered to a halt".

The jury trying 19-year-old Bradley Evans was dismissed yesterday after a mix-up over witnesses that may have cost the taxpayer thousands.

But an even more costly retrial was avoided when Bradley Evans, who had denied assaulting older cousin Daniel Evans, pleaded guilty to a lesser offence.

The jury had been told how 22-year-old Daniel was left with a fractured eye socket and cheekbone after being knocked unconscious on May 1 last year. He told the court from the witness box how he had been with a friend named Hammond in Plymouth Road, Plympton, when Bradley Evans and his pal called Barnes approached.

They had a disagreement which ended in a large Magners cider bottle being smashed over Daniel's head, the court was told.

But barrister Nick Lewin, defending, suggested Daniel had himself connected with the bottle as he tried to head-butt the teenager.

Despite the presence of the two other men, the Crown Prosecution Service had failed to call Mr Hammond as a witness until after the trial had begun, the court hwas told. That meant Bradley Evans' defence team wanted the jury to also hear from Mr Barnes, and he was out of the city.

Judge Paul Darlow told the jury of seven men and five women: "I don't understand why the CPS didn't insist Mr Hammond was called as part of their case. The Crown saw he had been drinking lager and dismissed his evidence even though it was coherent. It was a strange decision."

Judge Darlow added: "This trial has shuddered to a halt. These are expensive processes; Crown Courts take something like £10,000 to run every day. Those costs have been thrown away. It's not a result that the taxpayer wants."

After the jury was dismissed, Bradley Evans, who has previous convictions for GBH, battery and assault, admitted a fresh charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He had previously denied the more serious causing grievous bodily harm with intent and the alternative inflicting grievous bodily harm.

As the teenager, of Savage Road, was led to the cells, he waved to his partner and baby. He was remanded in custody until sentence on August 23.