Cowardly teen addict attacked and laughed at pensioner on his way home from Leeds pub

Simon Kubalik was with an 11-year-old boy who both attacked the 72-year-old, hitting him with a chunk a wood and possibly a piece of concrete, before taking his wallet.

It happened shortly before 10pm on June 7, 2022, in an alleyway between Buller Close and St Alban Mount in Harehills.

Prosecuting the case at Leeds Crown Court, Charlotte Noddings said the man was hit from behind and felt someone punch him in the back twice. He then felt someone reach into his pocket and take his wallet.

As he struggled to get up the pair laughed at him and struck him again before running off. He suffered a broken nose, black eyes and a cut the the back of his head.

Kubalik, who was 17 at the time, was identified from CCTV and was arrested, but gave no comments. He was initially charged with robbery, but was reduced to ABH, which he pleaded guilty.

He also admitted possession of cannabis, theft of a child’s scooter, them from a vehicle and two counts of fraud by false representation.

Police had gone to Kubalik’s home on Bayswater Crescent and found a quantity of cannabis. He also broke into a Skoda parked outside a hostel in Leeds in March last year, and stole the child’s scooter from through an open window of a property on Hill Top Mount in Oakwood in May.

He also twice used a bank card stolen from a woman during a sneak-in burglary on June 1 last year on Buller Grove, Harehills.

Kubalik, now 19, has 12 previous convictions for 27 offences, including a burglary at Leeds City Museum in which he stole confectionery in July 2022. He was given a suspended sentence.

Mitigating, Matthew Stewart said: “It’s all driven by his dependence on drugs. He would take drugs to avoid painful memories. He knew the drugs were killing him but felt unable to take control of his life.

"He is ashamed of what he has done and he knows he can’t continue to offend the way he has over the past two years.”

Judge Neil Clark jailed Kubalik for 25 months.