Eighties Welsh pop star Steve Stange was beaten up by a beggar with a cosh and had a bracelet given to him by Kylie Minogue stolen, a jury has heard.

The ex-frontman of the New Romantic band Visage was battered on the head with a baseball bat or a knuckleduster, causing an "immense amount" of bleeding, Inner London Crown Court was told.

Mr Strange, from Caerphilly, south Wales, said he was set upon after refusing to give �5 to a 17-year-old youth when approached in a London street.

The teenager, who has denied robbery and causing grievous bodily harm, cannot be named.

I was concussed but I do remember a punch going to my face. There was an immense amount of blood everywhere Steve Strange

It is claimed a passing motorist saw the youth attacking Mr Strange in Great Russell Street, Holborn, on 7 March 2001 at 0500GMT.

The singer's blood was found on his shoes when he was caught two days later, the court was told.

Mr Stange gave evidence using his real name Steven Harrington and said he worked in the music and television industry.

He said he was on his way back from a DJing session with a friend when the attack occurred.

He told the jury: "A guy came up to us and said he wanted a fiver.

"I do give money to the homeless quite often, but this character just seemed to be very aggressive.

'Violent'

"I just said, 'I am sorry, I don't have any money on me'. He said, 'I need some money', then asked Nick for some money.

Mr Strange said the man's attitude was "quite violent".

"I looked behind to see what he was doing," he said. "The next thing I remember was something went over my head.

Steve Strange was lead singer of pop band Visage

"I turned to look, and something went into my hair. The next thing was I fell straight to the ground.

"I was concussed but I do remember a punch going to my face. There was an immense amount of blood everywhere."

He told prosecutor Catherine Donnelly he though he had been hit by either a cosh, a baseball bat, or a knuckleduster.

"He took my cheque book, my mobile phone, credit card, and some jewellery.

"He took a bracelet off me which Kylie Minogue gave me for my birthday," he said.

Stitches

Mr Strange was taken to hospital by a taxi driver, where he had to have eight stitches over his right eye, six on his forehead and four above his lip, the court heard.

He added: "I thought I had lost sight in my eye because I could not open it for seven days.

"For some time I became quite like a hermit and would not leave the house," he added.

The trial is continuing.