A MUGGER arrested earlier this week after nearly four weeks on the run may be freed again later this month.

Scott Lewis Hurst admitted twice banging a man’s head on a pavement and stealing his mobile phone when on parole from a three-year jail term. Hurst has an “appalling” record for antisocial behaviour which has earned him several prison sentences and has breached his bail three times, York Crown Court.

But Judge Colin Burn wanted to consider ways of giving him a non-custodial sentence for his latest crimes so he can get help changing his ways.

He adjourned sentence while probation officers prepare a report on the 23-year-old.

Hurst, of Bempton House, Del Pyke, The Groves, York, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and theft. He will remain in custody until he is sentenced on September 22.

The Ministry of Justice has revoked his parole and told him to finish serving the three-year sentence he was given for a 100mph drink-driving car chase through York during which, according to Recorder Nigel Sangster QC in 2008, “he broke every traffic law in the book”.

Judge Burn said of Hurst: “He has an appalling record which shows antisocial behaviour, committing mindless offences, stealing things on the spur of the moment, driving vehicles without any thought of the consequences for other people’s vehicles. Has he ever received any sort of ‘think first’ type of programme work?”

Oliver Thorne, prosecuting, said Hurst grabbed Charles Walker’s hair from behind, threw him to the ground and picked up his head and banged it once on the ground before running off with Mr Walker’s phone, which had fallen from the victim during the struggle.

Mr Walker had just left bpm club in the early hours of March 18 this year before the two men encountered each other in North Street.

The victim suffered cuts and bruises to his head and body.

The hunt for Hurst began when he failed to attend a court appearance on August 5. Police issued a “wanted” alert for the 23-year-old who was then on a robbery charge. That charge was dropped after he admitted causing actual bodily harm and theft.