A drug addict has been jailed for four years for beating a man to steal his wallet and phone.

Joseph Wright told victim Anwar Hussain, 33: “I will pull your beard out. I will knock you out,” a court heard.

Wright, 27, pinned Mr Hussain against a wall and punched him up to five times in the face.

He seized him in a headlock, squeezed his throat, flung him to the floor and hit him again, prosecutor Euan McLachlan said.

Wright, of no fixed address, urged a friend to join in the attack but he refused to get involved, Bradford Crown Court was told today.

Wright shouted he would kill Mr Hussain before fleeing with his phone, wallet and money.

He pleaded guilty to robbing Mr Hussain at a house in Bierley, Bradford, on August 31.

Mr McLachlan said Wright knocked a man down, rifled his pockets and robbed him in 2003.

He served 30 months’ custody for that offence and 18 months at a later date for causing actual bodily harm.

Mr McLachlan said the second robbery happened at 9pm when Wright and Mr Hussain were at the house in Kaycell Street.

After the attack, Mr Hussain called the police from a nearby garage.

Wright also admitted assaulting a police officer with intent to resist arrest.

Mr McLachlan said he escaped from a police car. A pursuing officer fell and was dragged along the ground suffering cuts and grazes as Wright continued to run off.

Police found Mr Hussain’s phone in the glove box of Wright’s car.

Abraham Verghese, Wright’s solicitor advocate, said the defendant needed support in the community to address his drugs problem.

The father of a young son, he had written to the judge saying he needed help.

But Judge Roger Scott said the letter was “full of self justification and self pity”.

The probation service felt there was a high risk Wright would commit further offences.

Judge Scott jailed him for four years for robbery, plus 21 days for assault with intent to resist arrest.