THREE teenagers are behind bars following a vicious robbery in which a Swansea student was beaten unconscious after a bottle was thrown at his head.

Victim David Parker was mugged as he walked back to Swansea University after a night out in the city centre in June.

His attackers had been drinking on the beach after travelling from the West Midlands to collect a driving licence from the DVLA.

The brutal beating was described when Thomas Mullen, Geoffrey Haden and James Guest were sent to a young offender institution after pleading guilty to robbery

Frank Phillips, prosecuting, said that in the early hours of June 3 Mr Parker was walking along the seafront to his hall of residence at the university campus. As he passed the play area near County Hall, the 24-year-old heard male voices and saw the defendants nearby.

When he was near the Patti Pavilion he realised they were following him. One of the defendants then threw a bottle at him, which shattered as it struck the back of his head.

Mr Phillips said the robbery happened when Mullen, Haden and Guest surrounded Mr Parker after he crossed the road near St Helen's rugby ground.

When they asked how much money he had on him, Mr Parker claimed he did not have any.

At that point, said Mr Phillips, all three defendants threw punches at him, knocking him to the ground. They then kicked him a number of times before stealing his wallet, which contained £42.

The alarm was raised by a witness, Michael Roberts. Police were quickly on the scene, and Mullen, Haden and Guest were found a short time later in a car in the Sandfields area. With them was a friend who had played no part in the robbery.

In mitigation, defence barristers said all three defendants deeply regretted their conduct.

Mullen, 18, from Birmingham, and Haden, 18, from Solihull, both got two-and-a-half years, while Guest, 17, of Solihull, got two years. Guest's identity had been protected by a court order because of his age. But at the end of the sentencing hearing, Judge Davies acceded to an application by the Evening Post and directed that the order should "not apply henceforth".