A TEENAGE gang egged on by a 15-year-old ringleader trapped a customer as he left a convenience store before kicking him in the face, a court heard.

The attack allegedly occurred after the gang's "spokesman", who cannot be named for legal reasons, tried to goad Richard Trowbridge into a "one-on-one" fight outside Spar, in Cranham Drive, Warndon.

Giving evidence at Worcester Magistrates Court, the 21-year-old said he refused the demand but the gang of six had encircled him.

After a few minutes, he restrained the boy by grabbing his arm and pulling him to the floor.

"I tried five or six times to get past but his intentions were clear," he said. "In the end I restrained him by using my body weight to pin him down.

"I was going to talk to him but his friends ran up and started kicking me in the head."

But in cross-examination, defence lawyer Judith Kenney claimed Mr Trowbridge had been the aggressor and become "physical" because her client, who denied affray, had upset his sister three weeks earlier.

The victim denied this but admitted returning to the shop 20 minutes later with five friends to "beat up" the defendant.

"I think it's wrong to fight at all but after being kicked in the head, I was angry," he said. "When I came out of the shop, I was only trying to stop a fight, nothing more."

He also admitted going to the youth's house but said it was out of curiosity because he had heard the police were at the boy's house interviewing his father.

An 11-year-old girl was due to give evidence today.

The trial continues.