by Joe Walker

joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

A terrified pizza delivery man was robbed and kicked unconscious while his hysterical ex-girlfriend listened helplessly on the phone.

Battered Elliot Ashby, 22, suffered a suspected broken nose, cracked teeth and horrific bruises after the vicious attack on Sunday night.

His ex-girlfriend was on the line when two thugs struck in Spenser Road, Herne Bay, taking £250 and leaving him lying in a pool of blood on the pavement.

He said: "I'd been on the phone but told her to wait a minute while I made a delivery. I put my mobile in my pocket and then was attacked when I went back to my car.

"I can't stop thinking about it. I keep running through what happened in my head, round and round. I can't help it.

"They didn't need to beat me up. They could have just taken the £250, but they wanted their kicks as well."

Elliot, from Beltinge, had just dropped off a £5 Direct Pizza order at 10.30pm when he was pounced on by his attackers. He said: "I heard some running and looked round to see two blokes running. As I turned they started walking towards me. I don't know why but I didn't move.

"One of them walked past me and within a second had his arm round my throat and was choking me. He was screaming that he wanted money, but I couldn't breathe.

"He loosened his grip and I managed to get the cash out of my pocket. He said he knew I had more and told the other guy to check the car, but he just punched me in the face.

"He hit me again and I fell to the floor and passed out. The next thing I remember is a foot coming towards my face and being kicked over and over again."

Elliot drifted in and out of consciousness as his attackers rifled through his car, stealing his iPod and possibly more cash and a sat nav. He only came round when his mum - who had been called by his frantic ex-girlfriend - rang to see where he was.

He said: "I woke up to my phone ringing. My ex had heard everything so had called my mum to let her know. She came down with my brother and the police turned up. A neighbour had seen what happened and called 999."

Supermarket worker Elliot was taken to the QEQM Hospital but his face was so swollen an x-ray failed to reveal if his nose was broken.

The following day he had dental work to fix his broken teeth and will need more treatment for his injuries next week.

He said the ordeal had convinced him to give up delivery driving and made him fearful of walking alone at night. He said: "I've never experienced anything like it before. I've never even been threatened. I'm definitely not going back to delivering. It's just not worth it.

"I’m going back to work at the supermarket on Monday and am already worried about walking home by myself. I don't know whether it was a planned attack or spontaneous, but what they did was just wrong. Hopefully someone saw what happened and they're caught."

Elliot's attackers are described as white men, in their early 20s with athletic builds.

Anyone with information about the attack should call the investigation team on 01227 868380 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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