Four-year jail term for Wakefield-street revenge robber who took just £17 of groceries from victim
A robber who took revenge over Facebook posts stole just £17 groceries from his victim in the street - and received a lengthy jail sentence.
Lee Rose made threatening calls to the man’s relatives warning them not to contact the police or face being stabbed.
He admitted a charge of robbery at Leeds Crown Court and appeared alongside co-accused, Curtis Machen.
Machen was given a suspended sentence for playing a lesser role.
Prosecutor Tom Doyle told the court that the victim had been walking along Dunbar Street, in the Belle Vue area of Wakefield, at around 12.50am on August 18 last year.
He had been to a local Spar and was holding a bag of groceries.
Four males approached, including Rose and Machen, with Rose making comments about fighting him.
Rose stopped him from walking on, asking him why members of the man’s family had posted pictures of him and Machen on Facebook.
Machen then threatened to stab him while Rose shouted at him.
The man was then pulled to the floor and his bag of groceries taken from him before the men walked away.
The victim’s relatives then received three Snapchat voice messages from Rose telling them they had taken the bag from him as revenge for the Facebook pictures.
He made the threats to stab them and warned them off co-operating with police.
The rambling messages were played to the court.
Rose and Machen were later arrested and Rose racially-abused a police officer, although no charge was brought forward.
During interview, 28-year-old Rose apologised for the racist abuse, but made no comments about the robbery, although he said he had been drinking vodka.
Machen, 20, gave a prepared statement denying involvement, but refused to answer any police questions.
Machen, of Stoneleigh Court, Wakefield, has no previous convictions. Rose, of Winterhill Road, Rotherham, has 15 for 34 offences, including nine for violence and one for theft.
Mitigating for Machen, Eleanor Mitten said he had expressed remorse and had been homeless before his arrest.
She said he had been in custody for six months but said there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.
For Rose, Imran Khan said: “He knows he is facing a custodial sentence, the question is the length.
“He tells me it was by chance this incident occurred. In his words, it just got out of hand.
“He is sorry for his actions.”
The judge, Recorder Simon Jackson KC described it as a “revenge attack”.
He said Rose played a leading part, and jailed him for four years.
Machen was given a 24-month sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation days and 300 hours of unpaid work.
A 10-year restraining order was also made to keep them away from the victim.