Last updated at 16:53 11 September 2007

When a German mugger spotted a blind beggar at a train station in Germany, he must have thought it would be the easiest mugging of his career.

The teenage mugger spotted the 33-year-old beggar sitting outside a train station in the south-western town of Giessen and thought he would be easy prey, police said.

Intending to steal his cigarettes, the 17-year-old yob threatened the blind man and then punched him in the face.

Unfortunately for the mugger, what he didn't know was that his would-be victim

was Michael Esser, a former world champion in judo for blind people.

Before he knew what was happening he had been flipped over and put in a stranglehold.

The blind martial artist then pinned him down until police arrived.