A mugger who broke a council worker’s nose in a vicious gang attack has been jailed for four years.

Aaron Hart, 20, punched Edward Raj Yendluri as the victim passed his group gathered outside an east London pub, and stole a mobile phone he was using.

The married father-of-three tried to escape but the yobs chased him, floored him and kicked him as he cowered on the ground, the Old Bailey heard.

The thugs then swiped a second mobile, his Oyster card and cash before fleeing from the scene outside the Baytree Pub, Vicarage Lane, Stratford, on January 22 this year.

Mr Yendluri, aged in his 30s, needed surgery on his nose and had to spend two days in hospital following the attack.

He suffers ongoing physical and emotional consequences and has moved away from the area in fear.

Hart, who has no previous convictions, was found guilty following a trial and still insists he is the victim of mistaken identity.

Sending Hart to a young offenders’ institution for four years the judge, Mr Recorder Nigel Peters QC said: ‘You punched him, causing him to have a serious injury to his nose and that serious injury persists today.

“It has changed his life, his confidence is shattered. The others who committed that assault have gone un-prosecuted.

“You were the instigator and leader of this unprovoked attack.”

Hart, of Hurry Close, Stratford, , denied robbery and causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was convicted.

He will serve half his sentence in custody less 113 days he spent on remand.