A TAKEAWAY delivery driver was punched and robbed by three men in an early morning attack, a court heard today.

Amanj Ahmed, a driver for Newport Grill, made a delivery to a house in Sycamore Avenue, Newport, just before 1am on November 29, 2009, when the trio of men sprang their attack.

Newport men Damien May, 23, of Glebe Street, and Jamie Kent, 27, of Llewellin Street, both stand accused of robbery and criminal damage.

The jury heard Kent has admitted criminal damage, but the pair deny the remaining charges.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told Cardiff Crown Court that Mr Ahmed had finished a delivery in the street when he was returning to his car.

He was approached by three men, alleged to be the defendants and a third, unnamed man.

Mr Ahmed was grabbed and punched as he tried to get into his car and his jacket was pulled off him before he fled the scene. His jacket had more than £200 cash from his night's work.

As he left, the men began damaging his Nissan Micra and one of them jumped on the roof and smashed the windscreen.

Mr Cobbe told the jury that by chance, a police patrol was passing, so Mr Ahmed flagged them down and explained what happened.

Mr Ahmed and the officers then gave chase as the men were only down the road.

Kent was trying to escape over a fence when he was caught up by the chasing group, led by Mr Ahmed, who grabbed his feet, the court heard. He was arrested and following questioning by police, May was also arrested.

Giving evidence with the help of a Kurdish interpreter, Mr Ahmed said he was sworn at before he was attacked.

Proceeding.