FIVE NEWPORT men were locked up following a gang robbery which led to the victim walking into a police station "battered, bruised and shoeless".

Cardiff Crown Court heard how student James Gould, 20, was lured into an alleyway in the city centre before being punched and threatened with a knife, his mobile phone, £100 cash, keys and trainers then taken.

Rhys Williams, 22, of Alexandra Road, Newport, admitted robbery, with Morgan Hanford, 20, of Clytha Crescent, Dwade Stock, 18, of Kirby Lane and Ottis Jefferies, 18, of Coulson Close, Newport, being found guilty following a trial. They were all given sentences of between three and three and a half years, of which they must serve half.

Prosecutor James Wilson told the court that Newport University student Mr Gould had been out at the city’s Meze Lounge on January 26 and was walking home at 5am.

After withdrawing £100 from a cash machine, he began talking to the five defendants and walked to a park. When they arrived there, Williams snorted white powder from a key and Mr Gould rolled a cigarette.

They continued walking and after turning into an alleyway, Mr Wilson described Williams grabbing the victim in a headlock with another holding out a knife.

Williams began shouting "I’ve got a blade, I’ve got a blade", with one of the gang punching Mr Gould in the face and leg and another rifling through his pockets.

At first the victim believed his shoes were being taken to stop him following the robbers, but he was then let go and ran away.

He walked into Newport Central Police station at 7.15am and DC Robert Jenkins described him as "drunk, his nose bleeding, with a pronounced limp and eyes glazed. He was extremely vulnerable".

The robbers were arrested after Mr Gould picked three of them out of an identity parade.

None of the defendants offered any mitigation, with their testimony that Mr Gould had followed them to buy drugs not challenged by the victim.

Their defence barristers merely noted their young age and that the robbery was unplanned and opportunistic.

Judge Stephen Hopkins said he could only be sure of Williams’ "significant role", but was unclear of what part the others played.

He said: "He (Williams) grabbed Mr Gould around the neck and others of you hit him so hard to the face and leg he had a dead leg, produced a knife, rifled through his pockets or kept lookout.

"He was battered, bruised and shoeless when he arrived at the police station."

Williams was sentenced to three-and-a-half years, Radford to three years, while Jefferies and Hanford were given terms of three and a half years and Stock of three years in a young offenders institution.