A MAN from Dorchester broke down in tears as he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for attempted robbery after consuming a “cocktail of drugs and alcohol”.

Alan Frank Patterson, 22, of Great Western Road, was given the prison sentence after pleading guilty to trying to rob a man and a woman of money and a bag in the county town last summer.

Prosecutor Stuart Ellacott told the court that on July 24 2013, the victim Chris Hoskins and his girlfriend had been sitting in the Borough Gardens in Dorchester eating fish and chips when they had first seen Patterson, who was with a group of friends.

Shortly after, the park was closed and as Mr Hoskins and his girlfriend left the park on to Bowling Alley Walk, Patterson approached them and demanded he was given a chip, and tried to grab one off Mr Hoskins, Mr Ellacott said.

Mr Ellacott told the court Patterson then walked away from the pair, before returning and “struck Mr Hoskins on the back of the head with a two-litre bottle, which had liquid in it”.

This caused Mr Hoskins to fall to the floor, and Patterson then demanded £10 from the couple, threatening them numerous times.

Mr Ellacott said after that Mr Hoskins managed to get to his feet and tried to move himself and his girlfriend away but that she was “frozen to the spot in fear”.

Patterson then tried to grab his bag off him before trying to kick him and missed, Mr Ellacott added.

Mr Ellacott said Mr Hoskins didn’t have any injuries following the incident, but he told police he had been “very frightened” and that his girlfriend was “physically shaking in fear” when they returned home.

In his police interview, Patterson denied attempting to rob the couple, and said he had drank brandy and coke and taken some drugs, and couldn’t remember the incident.

He also had previous convictions for battery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, Mr Ellacott added.

Passing down the sentence, Judge Peter Johnson said: “This is a very serious offence.

“You threatened the victims not once but on repeated occasions you threatened him and tried to steal his bag, “You left two young people terrified, his girlfriend was shaking in fear when she returned home.”