A STUDENT bricklayer forced his lover to hand over his phone in an alleyway by grabbing him by the throat.

Jay Hales pleaded guilty to stealing an old college friend’s iPhone before lying to police, pretending the robbery had never happened.

The 20-year-old former Crestwood College student had met his victim in an alleyway, where they used to meet discreetly.

But on January 6, Hales “flipped” and went on the attack.

Prosecutor Anthony Bailey told Southampton Crown Court that the lovers had been meeting regularly since November 2016.

But after the pair’s last encounter concluded, Mr Bailey said: “The defendant then just turned around and grabbed him by the throat and pushed him against a bush.

“The pressure was enough to make him feel pain.”

He added: “The defendant continued to say ‘give me the phone’ but [the victim] refused.”

However, the court heard his victim eventually gave the phone over before Hales ran off.

Prosecutor Anthony Bailey said the incident had left Hales’ victim “with redness across his neck”.

Mr Bailey added: “The victim was hyperventilating, greatly distressed, in need of using an inhaler and incoherent.

“His sister noticed the injuries, which was the reddening of the neck, after being held by the defendant.”

Hales was arrested on January 7 but denied involvement, claiming a friend could provide an alibi.

When the alibi proved incorrect, Hales continued to tell officers he did not steal the phone.

Mitigating, Peter Asteris told the court Hales had no previous convictions and was “a polite and considerate individual” who had hit out at his victim after “personal frustrations and struggles”.

Mr Asteris added that his client had a cannabis habit but did not take the phone for money problems, as after the robbery Hales just threw the device away.

He said: “He wants to have the opportunity to right the wrongs and is desperate to get assistance to sort out his drug habit and put this incident behind him.”

In sentencing Hales, whose address was given as Winchester Church Night Shelter, to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years, Judge Peter Henry QC said: “This was a frightening incident to somebody who as a friend and sexual partner did not expect from you.

"It must have been unexpected and very frightening indeed.

“You were taking cannabis and money from your family.

"But I believe in this way you’ve caused great difficulty for your family and for people who think they are your friend.”

Hales was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within one year, as well as 40 days of rehabilitation activity.