A BEGGAR who attacked popstar Steve Strange and stole a bracelet given to him by Kylie Minogue was found guilty of robbery yesterday.

The former singer (pictured) with 1980s' band Visage was battered over the head with a baseball bat or a knuckleduster by a 17-year-old who cannot be named. Sentence was adjourned until February 14.

Oakdale-born Mr Strange, who now works as a music producer and DJ, suffered an "immense amount" of bleeding, and still has flashbacks from the incident on March 7 last year, Inner London crown court was told.

His attacker rifled his pockets and took the bracelet, a birthday present from the Australian star who was born on the same day as him.

The court heard that Mr Strange was punched repeatedly as he lay on the ground after he refused to give £5 to the youth, who suffers from a mental disability. A passing motorist saw the youth going through Mr Strange's pockets in Holborn, central London at 5am.

The singer's blood was found on the youth's shoes when he was arrested the following day, the court heard.

The jury found that the youth, who was not mentally fit to plead, had carried out the robbery.

Tom Forster, defending, said the sentencing options were a supervision and treatment order, a guardianship order, or a hospital order.

Judge Nicholas Philpot adjourned the case for reports and granted the youth bail after his father paid a £1,000 surety.

Mr Strange, famous for his white face paint and his one big hit Fade to Grey, gave his real name as Steven Harrington and told the court he works in the music and TV industry and had been with a friend at the time the attack began.

Mr Strange said he was attacked with a cosh after refusing to give money to the youth. He said: "I was concussed but I do remember a punch going to my face. There was an immense amount of blood everywhere.

"He took my cheque book, my mobile phone, credit card and some jewellery. "He took a bracelet off me which Kylie Minogue gave me for my birthday."

Mr Strange had eight stitches over his right eye, six on his forehead, and four above his lip.

The defendant, from Plaistow, east London, was arrested in Covent Garden two days later.