TWO men who robbed a cyclist after grabbing him around the throat in a headlock and encouraging a child to punch him in the face have been jailed for a total of more than seven years between them.

Newport Crown Court heard the victim was cycling home when he saw a group sat on the kerb in Magor Street, Newport, on the day of the robbery last September.

Ben Truelove, 33, of Colston Court, Newport, suddenly grabbed the man in a headlock from behind, before Adam Matthews, 34, of Colston Place, Newport, searched the man’s pocket, before stealing a mobile phone, a tablet and tobacco.

Ruth Smith, prosecuting, said the group had asked the victim if he had any cigarettes as he was cycling past. As he was telling them that he was trying to give up smoking, Truelove grabbed him, the court heard.

“Truelove was holding him back and squeezing his head so tightly to the point that he almost passed out,” added Ms Smith.

After the victim said he did not have any money, Matthews searched his pockets, taking small value items.

The child, who was among the group, was told to “punch him in the face” as he went to pick up a carrier bag, carrying the tablet, which was dropped by the victim.

Truelove tightened his grip as the child punched him, the court heard.

In a victim impact statement, the man said he kept re-living the incident.

Truelove was also sentenced for a burglary in which he ransacked a home, also last September. The court was told Truelove had previously carried out roofing work on the home, which he broke into through a small porch window. Truelove ransacked every room, making off with six TVs, a wedding ring, whisky, a lawn mower, a hedge trimmer and gardening tools.

Gareth Williams, defending Truelove, said the crimes were fuelled by an addiction to heroin and cocaine. “There is a different side to the person we have heard about in court today,” he said. “He is incredibly sorry for what he has done.”

Sarah Walters, defending Matthews, said the defendant’s mother had died two weeks before the robbery, which had triggered a relapse into his own heroin addiction. He has responded well to help in fighting the addiction since his arrest, Ms Walters added.

Recorder Greg Bull, in sentencing, said the burglary and the robbery were each “nasty in their own way”. Truelove was sentenced to 32 months for the robbery, and 16 months for the burglary, making a consecutive sentence of four years. He was given credit for early guilty pleas.

Matthews, who also pleaded, was sentenced to 38 months in prison for the robbery.