TWO Cwmcarn men were sentenced to 16 months in a young offenders’ institution after ambushing an teenager in the street to rob him of cannabis he had in his backpack.

Samuel Smith, 18, a labourer, bought an ounce of the drug after a day at work in Newport, Cardiff Crown Court heard. After he picked it up he arranged to sell some on to a friend near the Eagle pub in Cross Keys.

Nathan Walker and Mark Gelder, both 20, admitted robbery. They knew Mr Smith had just bought it and lay in wait with around three others for him to walk by on July 31 last year.

Ian Kolvin, prosecuting, said: “He was ambushed by a group of youths. Two males came from a lane and another two males came from an adjacent lane. They were all wearing hoods.” He said Gelder, of Marne Street, punched Mr Smith him in the face as the whole group then closed in and struck him in the ribs and head.

The victim said he was punched around 12 times and struck four or five times with what looked like a wooden table leg.

Mr Kolvin added: “Inside his bag, Mr Smith had the cannabis he’d bought earlier. One of the males tried to take the bag off his shoulder. Others helped and it was taken from him along with headphones he was wearing.” He had stitches for a cut to his lip and there was bruising, tenderness and swelling to the ribs.

Property worth £140 including Mr Smith’s phone charger, wallet and bank cards were stolen as well as the cannabis worth around £90.

The court heard Walker, of Nantcarn Road, boasted about the attack on his Facebook page.

Andrew Jones, mitigating for him, acknowledged his client’s “unattractive record” with seven convictions for 29 offences including burglary, but he said he suffered from mental difficulties and would find custody difficult.

Mark Battrick said in mitigation for Gelder he had no previous convictions prior to this.