A PAIR of brothers who carried out a violent robbery while high on drink and drugs have received lengthy jail terms.

Gareth and Nathan Groves knocked their victim to the ground with a piece of wood before continuing to attack him as they went through his pockets.

When they finally got their hands on his mobile phone they smashed it after deeming it was no good to them, because they said he had lied to him.

Nathan Groves, 25, and Gareth Groves, 24, appeared in the dock at Swindon Crown Court separately after falling out over who did what in the attack.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said their victim Bradley Mitton had been to a wedding on March 28 last year and was walking home in the early hours.

As he was in the Dallas Road area of Chippenham, close to the fire station, he became aware of someone behind him.

"As he puts it 'I suddenly felt my right leg cave in slightly. I didn't know what was going on,' he said.

Mr Meeke said he had been struck with a wooden pole or plank, before one of the brothers asked 'What have you got? What have you got?'.

After Mr Mitton told them he didn't have anything he was whacked again repeatedly with the wood before one brother grabbed him by the shirt and punched him to the face.

Meanwhile the other went through his pockets and took out his wallet, finding £30 in it which seemed to upset them saying 'Why are you lying to us?'.

The court heard they rained punches on him again as one asked if they checked for his phone and he emptied all his pockets apart from the one the handset was in.

They were upset at him not handing it over straight away and after telling them it was no good smashed it, saying they would only have taken the sim card.

The pair fled when they realised a man across the road had seen what was going on. He led the police to the brothers.

Gareth, of Timbrell Street, Trowbridge, and Nathan, formerly of Downing Street, Chippenham, both pleaded guilty to robbery.

Jonathan Stanniland, for Nathan Groves, said his client was on early release for one violent incident and bail for another at the time of the attack.

He said he had been high on cocaine and booze before the robbery and when his brother tried to claim he was not involved, offered to give evidence against him.

Cathy Thornton, for Gareth Groves, said Nathan was the main player in the attack and her client joined in under his influence, leaving him 'horrified and ashamed' at what he had done.

Jailing Nathan Groves for four years and Gareth Groves for three, Recorder Gordon Bebb QC said "While Mr Mitton was down he was variously hit with fence posts or kicked and punched to the face and body before a member of the public intervened.

"It was a prolonged and vicious attack which carried on after you had taken the money."