THREE young men have admitted their role in a mobile phone robbery that left the victim badly bruised.

Jordan Goodall was walking along Atherton Road in Hindley in the early hours of January 5 when a man engaged him in conversation before hitting him in the face, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

The offender apologised and appeared to walk off but five seconds later the victim was struck on the back causing him to stumble before he was punched by a group of youths.

He rolled himself into a ball to protect himself and was ordered to hand over his brand new HTC mobile phone, worth £500.

Recorder Andrew Nuttall said: “These cases of robbery are all too prevalent, this idea that young people can go out and pick on someone else in a bullying fashion to obtain their mobile phone.

"These are possessions of high value these days. Most people walking the streets run the risk of groups of people like you jumping on them and stealing these high value items from them.

"People are entitled to walk these streets without being attacked and these courts have a duty to protect them from people like you. This was a cowardly bullying attack and robbery is a very serious matter."

Mr Goodall suffered bruising to his eyes and a painful nose, back and head.

Gavin Bentham, aged 19 and of Grasmere Avenue in Hindley, was jailed for 12 months after admitting robbery today, Monday.

Daniel Brown, aged 18, of Romford Street in Hindley was handed a 12 month community order and ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work and pay £80 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to handling a stolen mobile phone.

Shortly after the robbery the defendants went to the home of a 14-year-old girl and were bragging about the robbery. Brown said he was going to sell the phone to buy cocaine.

Joshua Lowe, aged 19 and from Wigan, was sentenced to 14 months detention.