A MAN left lying unconscious outside a Worcester pub after a fight had cocaine with a street value of £400 taken off him.

Richard Hauxwell was noticed by witnesses searching through the victim's pockets.

He left the scene but later returned and was himself searched by police alerted to the earlier violence.

Officers saw him removing the drugs from his sock but a struggle broke out when he refused to hand the cocaine over, said Tim Sapwell, prosecuting.

Hauxwell, aged 27, of Humber Road, Ronkswood, Worcester, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs as well as obstructing police.

The case was listed for sentence last June, but the defendant went on the run. He had just completed a 21 day jail term for jumping bail, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Judge Andrew Geddes gave him eight months jail, suspended for two years, 120 hours of unpaid community work and supervision by the probation service for 18 months.

He said Hauxwell needed guidance and the threat of jail hanging over him to stop further offences.

Trouble brewed outside TJ's pub in Angel Street on November 24, 2006, when a man was knocked down by an assailant. Hauxwell was seen to take the 8.85 grammes of cocaine and whisper to the victim, in a bid to remove incriminating evidence: "It's all right, I've cleaned out your pockets", said Mr Sapwell.

He had a police record of 19 offences, six of them for drug crimes. Two years ago, he served a three-month sentence for possession of amphetamine with intent to supply and possession of ecstasy.

Joe Kieran, defending, said the future looked promising because Hauxwell had gone 15 months without committing any more offences.