A WREXHAM man has been handed 28 months in prison after carrying out a ‘nasty and cowardly’ attack in the town centre.

Jack Edward Stokes, 23, of Wrexham appeared at Mold Crown Court via video link from HMP Berwyn and entered guilty pleas on the counts of robbery of £150 in cash and a mobile phone as well as the assault of Arron Davies.

Co-accused for the same incident was Lloyd Groom, 29, being held at HMP Altcourse. Groom was unable to make the video link hearing as the court heard that he was in isolation with COVID-19 symptoms.

Prosecuting, David Mainstone, told the hearing that on Monday, March 2, Stokes was drinking in Wrexham’s Penny Black pub with Groom. The court was told Aaron Davies was also out drinking at this pub.

Mainstone said that Mr Davies left the pub and CCTV shows that Stokes and Groom followed him out of the venue and throughout the town centre of Wrexham.

The pair attacked Davies on Yorke Street, punching and kicking him to the ground. They searched through his pockets, stole cash to the sum of £150 and then demanded more before walking away with Davies’ mobile phone.

Stokes fled the scene when he was confronted by members of the public but was later arrested by police.

Defending, Phil Tully, said that his client ‘wasn’t thinking straight’ at the time of the incindent and was dealing with the death of his father. He had also consumed a large quantity of alcohol.”