TWO men who attacked a 50-year-old man walking home through Bromsgrove town centre in the early hours of the morning have been cleared of robbery after a trial.

However the two pleaded guilty at Worcester Crown Court to assaulting Jeffrey Rainsden causing him actual bodily harm when his ear was bitten.

It was not clear who had inflicted the bite in Bromsgrove High Street on August 29 last year, but Mr Rainsden was knocked to the ground and punched and kicked.

After the attack he discovered his mobile phone was missing.

Bernard Linnemann, prosecuting, said it was 2am when one of the men asked him for a cigarette, and when he carried on walking, they accused him of not being very friendly and launched the attack.

Adam Price, aged 26, of Old Forest Way, Birmingham, who was said by his counsel Nicholas Berry to have been seeing a psychiatrist in prison, was jailed for 16 months less 103 days already spent in custody.

His accomplice, 27-year-old Paul Williams, of Bucklands End Lane, Birmingham, did not attend court for the sentencing so Judge Michael Cullum issued a warrant for his arrest.

He added that Mr Rainsden had been caused significant injuries by the drunken behaviour of the pair.