AN ATTACKER who failed to turn up to court has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Christopher Murphy entered a guilty plea to one count of failing to surrender to police or court bail when he appeared before magistrates in July.

He had previously been proven guilty in his absence of one count of assault by beating and one count of theft in a dwelling by magistrates at an earlier hearing.

The court heard from prosecutor Lauren Millichip that Murphy had assaulted a man by beating him in Leominster on August 12 last year. 

He had also stolen a black Huawei mobile phone from the same man on the same date, magistrates in Kidderminster were told.

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The 33-year-old, who was represented at the hearing by solicitor Mark Sheward, had then failed without reasonable cause to surrender to custody at Hereford magistrates court on July 8, having been released on bail in criminal proceedings on April 3, the court heard. 

Murphy, of Cheaton Close, Leominster, was handed a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £50 compensation to his victim.

He was also handed a 12-month restraining order banning him from contacting the victim or entering their cul-de-sac, and must pay prosecution costs of £325.