A 25-year-old who held the manager of Bailey's Bay Cricket Club hostage, and then beat and robbed him, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

Jahkiel Samuels was convicted in March of robbery using force, and assault causing bodily harm to Tareek Somner.

The crime was yesterday described as "a particularly vicious offence" by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner.

He sentenced Samuels to three years' imprisonment for the robbery, and two years for the assault.

During the trial the court heard Mr. Somner was leaving Bailey's Bay Cricket Club on April 25, 2009 when a group of seven men begged him for a ride into Hamilton.

Three of the men climbed into his car; the others followed on motorcycles.

Mr. Somner stopped the vehicle at Burchall Cove and the men attacked him, stealing his BlackBerry and his wallet.

He pointed to Samuels as the ringleader of the attack.

Lawyer Charles Richardson represented Samuels yesterday in Magistrates' Court.

He asked Mr. Warner to give his client the same punishment as Troy Burgess, who had pleaded guilty to his involvement in the attack.

Mr. Richardson acknowledged that his client had pleaded innocent to the charges but said Burgess had a record of violent offences and Samuels did not.

Burgess was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

Samuels also pleaded for leniency: "I apologise to the victim and to the courts for wasting their time and money. I have learnt my lesson, and you will not see me here again."

Mr. Warner ordered both sentences to run concurrently, with time being served since May 27 being taken into account.