A MAN was beaten up for just £2 during a violent street robbery in Droitwich, a court was told.

Victim Matthew Butterworth was walking home along an alleyway near the Westlands estate when the "unplanned, opportunistic" attack occurred, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Michael Hollins, 23, of Pickersleigh Road, Malvern, admitted robbery at Worcester Crown Court yesterday (Monday). He also admitted a charge of GBH relating to an attack in Worcester and another of burglary and was jailed for 62 months.

Hollins was accompanied by two teenagers when the attack happened in Droitwich.

One of them, 18-year-old Jordan Booth, of Hipkiss Gardens, Droitwich, admitted robbery and a Droitwich boy of 16, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted assaulting Mr Butterworth during the incident on April 9.

Paul Whitfield, prosecuting, said Mr Butterworth was walking home when the group asked him for £1 and he gave a total of £2 to them.

But he was then punched on the back of his head and fell to the floor, where he was again punched and kicked.

His attackers took his Iphone, worth £600, and left him on the floor.

Nicholas Roberts, defending Hollins, said it had been an “unplanned, opportunistic” attack and his client later sold the phone to his father.

Jason Patel, for Booth, said his client, whose goal had been to join the army, was “naïve” and immature and he had been shocked by the allegation against him.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright, sentencing Hollins and Booth, said Mr Butterworth had been attacked despite being “generous” in giving them £2.

“Later the two of you were heard bragging about the fact that you had beaten a man up and taken his phone,” added the judge.

Hollins also admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on William Green, who suffered a compressed fracture of his cheekbone during an attack in Foregate, Worcester, on April 3, and burglary at his partner’s flat in Grenville Road, Worcester, on April 6.

Booth, who was 17 at the time of the robbery, was given two years detention suspended for two years, put under a curfew from 8pm to 5am for a year and ordered to pay £200 towards compensation to Mr Butterworth.

A robbery charge against the 16-year-old was dropped but he was given a supervision referral order for 12 months and told to pay £100 compensation to the victim for assault.