A THUG who punched and  kicked a man as he lay on the  ground in a vicious street attack has been told he faces jail.

Alistair MacKenzie, 37, of  Lancelot Road, Beacon Heath,  Exeter, admitted assaulting  James Notley by beating.

He also admitted damaging a  mobile phone worth £40 belonging to Mr Notley during the  same incident.

A charge of causing actual  bodily harm was formally withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Prosecutor Karen Ball told  Exeter magistrates  Mr Notley  was walking with his partner to  the train station in Polsloe Road  when he saw two men.

One of the men, MacKenzie,  approached Mr Notley and said  that he owed him money. Mr  Notley recognised MacKenzie  but denied owing him any  money and refused to pay.  MacKenzie told Mr Notley he  wanted the couple’s mobile  phones and started to rummage  through his partner’s bag.

Alarmed by this, Mr Notley  handed over his phone and  MacKenzie threw it to the floor,  smashing it.

 The prosecutor said  as Mr  Notley picked up the phone he  was pushed over by MacKenzie  but got up quickly and grabbed  hold of him to prevent further  assault. They walked away but  Mr Notley was then pushed to  the ground and punched and  kicked in the head, chest and  groin by MacKenzie.

A witness who saw  the attack  called police but MacKenzie  and his friend had left before  police arrived.

A runner came across Mr  Notley whose face was swollen  and bloodied. He had collapsed  between two cars and was taken  to hospital with bruising and  swelling to his left eye and jaw,  and scratches to his arm.

MacKenzie was arrested in  October and was picked out in  an identity parade.

Jennifer Stetson, mitigating, asked for reports by the probation service to be compiled on  MacKenzie. She said at the time  of the attack, on July   6 last year,  he was distressed by problems  in his family life.

She said he was on methadone but was topping up his  prescription with heroin.

Magistrates told MacKenzie:  “This was a deliberate attack  and a sustained assault. We recommend that a custodial sentence is considered by the sentencing bench.”

The case was adjourned for  sentence on April 12. MacKenzie is on unconditional bail.