A businessman involved in robbing a fellow trader in a lane near Ogbourne St George when a deal went sour has been spared an immediate jail term.

Amritpar Chahal, 25, and accomplice Mohammed Ali met with Ravi Agarwal to buy and sell mobile phones.

But as they fell out over money Ali, who has never been caught, set about Mr Agarwal.

He was beaten and then had his bangle, ring, mobile phone, and wallet containing £500 taken during the attack.

And when the victim was bundled out of his car, Chahal then drove off leaving him alone in the lane.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court on Friday that Chahal and Mr Agarwal both traded in second-hand phones and had dealings before in Cardiff.

On Wednesday, October 2, last year they agreed to meet in Chiseldon so Chahal could sell him some phones.

After meeting up at the Esso garage on the A346 Mr Agarwal got into Chahal's car and they decided to conduct their business elsewhere.

Mr Meeke said: "During the course of those negotiations things turned sour. They argued. Mr Chahal's colleague in the car with him became more angry. He assaulted Mr Agarwal." 

He said the items were then taken from him and he was dragged from the car which was then driven away, leaving him on the isolated lane.

A passing dog walked saw the vehicle being driven off with a Sikh at the wheel and then came across the battered and bloodied victim who said he had just been robbed.

The defendant was arrested soon after, with the ring found in his car, and he refused to answer questions from the police.

He initially pleaded not guilty blaming the robbery on his passenger, who he named and gave a number for, which did not work, but said did not know where he lived.

Chahal, of Porthcawl, south Wales, pleaded guilty to robbery but denied a charge of kidnap, which was dropped.

Anthony Harrison, defending, said his client was full of remorse. He said although he knew the man who was with him he did not know where he lived.

"The defendant's part in the robbery was to leave him and drive away. It was extremely ill judged on his part and fundamentally wrong," he said.

He said he had a wife and two-and-a-half year old daughter and was a hard working man who had not been in trouble before.

Recorder Maria Lamb said: "You may not have been the person who meted out the violence on Mr Chahal but you drove away from the scene knowing he was injured, it was obvious to anyone who was there, and his property had been taken."

She imposed a two-year jail term suspended for two years and ordered him to do 240 hours of community service and pay £1,697 compensation.