A TEENAGE mugger involved in the mob-handed robbery of a Blackburn man who was badly injured has won the first round of an Appeal Court fight to cut his sentence.

The youth was just 14 when he and two others attacked Iain Dewhurst as he came out of an off-licence in Granville Road, Blackburn, on November 30 2006.

Now aged 16, the boy, from Blackburn, pleaded guilty to robbery at Preston Crown Court and was sent to a young offenders' institution for 32 months in January this year.

However, at London's Criminal Appeal Court, the youth's counsel, Philip Holden, argued the sentence was "manifestly excessive".

The prosecution had accepted the teenager's plea that he delivered a single kick to Mr Dewhurst towards the end of the incident.

Mr Justice Foskett ruled the youth's appeal "arguable" and granted him permission to take his case to a full Appeal Court hearing.

He was refused immediate release on bail, but the judge ordered that his case should take priority in court lists and be heard as a matter of urgency. Mr Dewhurst, in his 40s, was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked during the robbery.

He lost two front teeth and suffered a split lit, nasty facial bruising and other injuries.

He had about £10 taken off him by his attackers.