A man was robbed of his jacket, had his tyres let down then watched as the man who’d just robbed him reversed at speed into his white Audi.

The victim, who came to blows with his attackers Daniel Lewis and Lewis Beith in a Marks and Spencer car park, was left with a cut lip after he was headbutted by 24-year-old Lewis.

A pal who came to the man’s aid was punched by 20-year-old Beith. The younger defendant also issued the threat: “Do you want to get shanked?”

The Banbury men had been due to stand trial at Oxford Crown Court this week on allegations of robbery.

But the trial cracked when Lewis pleaded guilty to robbing the Audi owner, while Beith admitted causing actual bodily victim to the robbery victim’s friend.

Recorder John Hardy QC sentenced Lewis to 18 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, while Beith received a 12 month community order. Both must do 150 hours of unpaid work.

The men were told: “I come to this court periodically. If I come to this court in the next two years and you come to this court in the next two years, you will remember me and I will remember you. Make sure you understand that.”

Recorder Hardy added: “When I read the papers in this case and considered the sentencing guidelines in the event that you were convicted at trial as I am absolutely sure you would have been, notwithstanding the excellence of your representation, I was looking at sentences of a significant length in terms of immediate custody for both of you.” The ‘roadmap’ had since changed, he said.

The court heard that Lewis, Beith and their victims had been at a gathering in the Marks and Spencer car park in Banbury on October 26.

The defendants came up to the robbery victim’s Audi and began asking him various questions. The talking descended into shoving and Lewis and Beith also began letting air out of the Audi’s tyres.

Lewis demanded the man’s black jacket and snatched it, then headbutted him in the face.

The robbery victim’s friend arrived and demanded to know what was going on. He was barged by the men then punched in the jaw by Beith.

Co-defendant Lewis got into his Vauxhall Astra, put it in reverse and smashed into the Audi, causing almost £500-worth of damage. The aggressors drove off but were swiftly caught by the police.

James Keeley, for Lewis, acknowledged his client had a poor record but said he was 'desperate to go down the right path'. He said he’d lost his ‘first stable job’ and his relationship of three years, and had struggled with poor mental health.

Ronan McCann, for Beith, said the 20-year-old was holding down a job and was expecting his first child.

Lewis, of Middleton Cheney, Banbury, pleaded guilty to robbery, criminal damage and possession of cannabis. Beith, of Cromwell Road, Banbury, admitted ABH. Recorder Hardy ruled the Vauxhall should be forfeit.

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