A HOODED thug who beat a man unconscious down a dark Worcester alley and stole his wallet when he was out cold is facing a long prison sentence for that gang assault and an even more serious attack.

Asfandyar Kiani appeared over videolink at Worcester Crown Court from HMP Brinsford following two different attacks, one a brutal gang attack in Worcester and the other a more violent attack in Malvern.

The 21-year-old of Ludstock Close, Worcester, has yet to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft of the wallet following the attack in Black Horse Walk in Lowesmoor on March 26, 2019.

Kiani was part of a gang of five who pummelled Kester Jardine so badly he was left with no memory of the attack, waking up in hospital.

However, the defendant has also already admitted a more serious charge - grievous bodily harm with intent (section 18) which was committed in Malvern on September 20, 2019.

This indictment is also said to involve two further counts aside from the GBH, this time of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Details of the attacks in September were not disclosed in open court but are said to involve a 19-year-old co-defendant, Brandon Taylor, who has a care of address of St Paul's Hostel in Worcester.

The case was adjourned to see if matters could be resolved in relation to Taylor who will admit section 20 wounding but not section 18 wounding (with intent) in relation to yet another attack on February 21, 2019.

Taylor has already admitted a section 18 on September 20, 2019 but a further count of wounding with intent from February, 2019 has yet to be resolved.

Taylor also faces charges of robbery, two thefts, two assaults occasioning actual bodily harm, breach of a criminal behaviour order and common assault said Michael Aspinall, prosecuting.

Jason Aris, for Kiani, said it made sense to wait until matters involving his co-defendant could be resolved so the two could be sentenced together and to 'attribute their individual culpability'.

Kiani also faces being sentenced for possession of cannabis with intent to supply, also from September 2019.

Simon Hunka, for Taylor, said a comprehensive pre-sentence report was already available for his client as requests were made by counsel for the case to be adjourned. Mr Hunka is also seeking a psychological report in relation to his client to assist with any sentencing hearing.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright, who considered sentencing Kiani on his own, said it was a balancing exercise on his part because, on the one hand, Kiani was 'anxious to know the outcome of his sentence hearing'.

"Inevitably it's going to be a custodial sentence of some length. But he obviously might like to know when might expect to be released" said the judge.

However, he added that on the other hand it was important the two men, both facing the same allegation, should be sentenced together rather than on separate occasions. Judge Cartwight sent the sentence hearing down for a half day on Friday, March 5.

We reported on a previous occasion how one independent witness saw Kiani reach into the victim’s pocket and remove his wallet as he lay unconscious. So far 26-year-old Martin Coffey of Maple Avenue, Worcester has been sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Worcester Crown Court. He was jailed for 22 months.

Kiani and Taylor both admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm following further attacks on September 20 last year when they appeared over videolink from HMP Brinsford last December.