A 27-YEAR-OLD Stourbridge man who robbed a frightened schoolboy of his mobile phone on Christmas Eve has been jailed for a year.

Paul Blissett who had downed an "excessive" amount of alcohol punched the 13-year-old in the face as they travelled on a bus from Dudley.

But he was arrested after witnesses to the incident followed him after notifying police and he was quickly arrested, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Recorder Peter Cooke told Blissett: "Your behaviour on this bus was of a character that can make travelling on public transport an unpleasant and intimidating business.

"You got yourself so spectacularly drunk that you robbed this young boy. Your intoxication was self inflicted and it is no explanation for what you did."

Blissett, of Malvern Avenue, admitted robbery and possessing a small quantity of cannabis and he was told by the Recorder only an immediate jail term was appropriate.

Christopher Rodwell, defending, said Blissett was clearly in a "terrible state" after his drinking session and he had little recollection of the incident.

Mr Rodwell added: "He is still struggling to comprehend just what happened.

"He had two mobile telephones of his own in his possession at the time so there was no need at all for the other telephone."

He told the court Blissett, a father-of-two whose new partner is pregnant with their first child, had behaved totally out of character and he was full of remorse for his actions.

He said his client was “truly ashamed of what he did” and he said Blissett had stayed off alcohol since the offence.

He added: “He fully accepts it must have been a terrifying experience for his young victim."

Howard Searle, prosecuting, said the boy told police in a victim impact statement the robbery had badly affected his confidence adding: "It must have ruined this young man's Christmas."