A soldier has appeared in court accused of attacking teenager Mo Bourner.

Ashley Dacosta, 20, appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court this morning charged with grievous bodily harm.

He is alleged to have punched the 15-year-old from Bexhill once to the head as he walked home from a beach party on October 29.

Mo is currently in hospital as a result of suffering severe head injuries that has left him brain damaged.

Dacosta, who grew up in Bexhill, is based at Victoria Barracks, Windsor.

He was remanded in custody and will appear at Lewes Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on March 2.

Mo has recently been taken off a life support machine and opened his eyes.

But he did not recognise his parents, father Peter Bourner and mother Rahma Adan, and remains in hospital.

Mo's parents, Peter and Rhama Bourner, said after the incident: "We need to get justice for Mo, our amazing, shining, happy son who is currently laying out, hooked up to a life support machine.

"Mo is an energetic and passionate teenager, full of promise and potential, who has his own brand of lovely word play that could lighten any room.

"We are hopeful that with Mo's confident and stubborn character, combined with all the love and prayers from his family and friends, he can make a full recovery from such a heartbreaking situation."