THE last man to be sentenced for a savage Worcester street attack is now behind bars after he previously dodged court, claiming he had 'Covid-19'.

Brennan Kilner was one of a gang of hooded men who beat Kester Jardine unconscious in Worcester, one of his co-defendants, Asfandyar Kiani, picking the victim's pocket as he lay out cold on the ground.

However, Kilner, who helped identify the other attackers, did not attend previous hearings at Worcester Crown Court which led to a warrant for his arrest.

The 22-year-old of Sidbury, Worcester had informed the court, through his legal representative, that he had 'symptoms of Covid-19' at hearing on April 23 this year but later did not answer phone calls made to find his whereabouts.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright, concerned about delays in the case and having already sentenced Kilner's accomplices, authorised the warrant, telling the court: "We will never get him here otherwise."

Police have confirmed that Kilner was located on the same day the warrant was issued after a targeted vehicle stop by West Mercia’s Operational Policing Unit.

As a result Kilner was brought to caught last Friday where he was jailed for 15 months and 18 days - 15 months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and 18 days for two breaches of a court order.

Asfandyar Kiani of Worcester was jailed for eight years but this was not only for the attack on Mr Jardine but for a homophobic and transphobic attack on a gay couple in Malvern on September 20, 2019 which left both victims unconscious, one suffering a broken jaw in two places and the other a broken nose.

It was Kiani, 21, of Ludstock Close, Worcester, who returned to steal Mr Jardine's wallet while he was out cold in Black Horse Walk on March 26, 2019. Kiani was part of a group that offered to sell a man weed in Worcester city centre at around midnight.

When Mr Jardine and his friend refused they were set upon by a group of five men who rained down punches and kicks. Kiani returned to steal the wallet as he lay unconscious "He walked back to his friends, bragging about having a contactless card," said Michael Aspinall who prosecuted the case at an earlier hearing.

As previously reported, the ‘gloating’ attackers were Martin Coffey, 26, of Maple Avenue, Worcester, Asfandyar Kiani, 21, of Ludstock Close, Worcester, Brennan Kilner, 22, of Sidbury, Worcester and Mohammed Raja, 21, of Avon Road, Worcester.

Harinderpal Dhami, prosecuting, said during a previous hearing: "Martin Coffey was identified as a result of his co-defendant Mr Kilner being interviewed who named this defendant and the others.”

The victim suffered pain and soreness to his face, a damaged nose and grazes and swelling to his hands which led to a loss of dexterity which had an impact on his work in a kitchen.

Coffey was sentenced to 22 months in prison. Raja was given a 14 month prison sentence suspended for two years.

Brandon Taylor, who was a youth at the time, was also involved in both the attack on Mr Jardine and the transphobic attack on the gay men. For this and other matters of violence, including an attack with a pool ball and a street robbery, Taylor, now 19, received a nine and half year prison sentence last month. This was an extended sentence to reflect the ruling that Taylor is a dangerous offender as defined in law.