A man held his hand over a busker's mouth and another attacked him while a female accomplice stole his cash, a court heard.

Heroin addict Nigel Carter, 37, who attacked Philip Fairweather, was jailed for nine months at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting causing actual bodily harm.

Mr Fairweather was on a pavement busking in Broad Street, Oxford, on September 7 when Carter started attacking him.

Paul Mitchell, prosecuting, said alcoholic homeless Big Issue seller Bryn Barrick, 33, joined in, holding his hand over Mr Fairweather's mouth and warning him not to speak. At the same time, heroin addict Hayley Charles, 21, of Bullstake Close, Botley, Oxford, stole an undisclosed amount of cash from Mr Fairweather. She and Barrick both admitted theft.

Mr Mitchell said that although it was not known what injuries Mr Fairweather sustained, his nose was bleeding and paramedics found him "dizzy and dazed". His trousers were soaked with blood.

Mr Mitchell said Carter, of St Helens, Merseyside, had 44 convictions for 70 offences, three violence-related and the rest for dishonesty.

In a letter to Judge Julian Hall, Carter said he was planning to change his life upon release from prison. He said he had re-established contact with his family and girlfriend and had been drug-free since he was remanded in custody in December.

Mr Mitchell said both Barrick and Charles each had 13 convictions for 24 offences, mostly public order offences. Charles, a heroin addict for five years, was convicted of battery following a seperate incident last year.

The judge sentenced Barrick to a four-month curfew order. He must be at his girlfriend Tara Campbell's house in Freeland Road, Oxford, between 8pm and 6am every day.

Charles was given a 12-month drug treatment and testing order. She will be checked twice weekly.

The judge said all three defendants had to be punished for the "totally unprovoked" attack and he was particularly surprised at Barrick's involvement.

He said: "You come from the same community of people as this man who have a lot to lose. This incident must have been a great shock to Mr Fairweather."