TWO men who assaulted a complete stranger in a homophobic attack have been told they face jail.

Daniel Walker, aged 18, and Stuart Hughes, 20, both from Malvern, mounted two separate attacks on heterosexual Joseph Wood last July.

First they verbally abused him and then beat him up as he walked home from work.

At Worcester Magistrates Court on Friday, Walker, of Balmoral Close, and Hughes, of Buckingham Close, pleaded guilty to assault and causing a person harassment, alarm or distress.

In the early hours of July 5, Mr Wood, a student who works at Oliver's bar in Belle Vue Terrace, was walking along Barnards Green Road when he became aware he was being followed by a car.

Hughes and Walker, passenger and driver respectively, shouted a string of homophobic insults at Mr Wood who, in fear of his safety, called his father and got a lift home.

Two days later, at 12.30am, Mr Wood was being followed.

Hughes punched him under his right eye and then two other men starting kicking him while he was on the floor.

The victim suffered bruising and swelling.

Hughes and Walker will be sentenced in March 23 and district judge Bruce Morgan said jail is almost inevitable.

A third defendant, Alan Horsfall, aged 21, of Elmley Close, Malvern, denied his involvement with the assault.

He was released on unconditional bail and is due back in court for a pre-trial review on Thursday, April 12.