A MAN who stole his victim’s gold chain after assaulting him has been warned he could face jail.

Vito Rondinelli pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and theft in relation to the incident on Tuesday June 11.

The 32-year-old had been charged with robbery but prosecutors said they would not seek a trial after he admitted the two alternative counts.

A judge at Swindon Crown Court was told that as the defendant, of Whitney Street, assaulted Nico Albanese the chain fell off, and it was then taken.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said: “There is clearly some sort of background between this defendant and the complainant.

“This is an assault where the chain fell off. I am sure Mr Albanese believed he was being robbed and felt he was being robbed at the time.”

Judge Douglas Filed adjourned the case to Thursday December 19 to give the probation service time to compile a report.

He then released the defendant on conditional bail.

But he warned him: “The fact that you are being granted bail shouldn’t be taken as any indication of the final outcome.”