Homeless man who robbed fellow Leeds St George's Crypt resident after night out is jailed at Leeds Crown Court

Benjamin Flint and three other men - who were all staying at homeless shelter St George's Crypt - had been out drinking together and there had been no problems, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Christopher Dunn, prosecuting, said the robbery happened at the back of Great George Street as all four men were heading back to the crypt.

One of the men asked the robbery victim for some money, which he willingly handed over during the incident just before 9.30pm on November 8 2019.

Flint and his two accomplices then surrounded and started bullying the man before stealing £100 from him.

Mr Dunn said: "He said because he was scared he didn't offer any resistance."

The robbery victim reported the incident to someone at the crypt and police were called.

Flint was found to be in possession of a small amount of cannabis.

Flint, 30, of no fixed abode, admitted robbery, possession of cannabis and failing to surrender to custody on May 14

He was sent to a young offender institution for 27-months in 2008 after being convicted of two offences of robbery.

Richard Reed, mitigating, said: "He very much regrets the offence. It was at a time when he was staying at the crypt and he was associating with the two co-accused and the complainant.

"They had been out drinking. This was very much a spur of the moment incident, which he regrets."

Mr Reed said Flint, who has two young children, suffers from schizophrenia.

Jailing Flint for 10 months and two weeks, Judge Neil Clark told him: "The four of you went out drinking together.

"When you got back, outside the crypt on the grass, the three of you asked where his money was and were becoming threatening towards him and tried to get money from his pocket.

"He didn't resist and £100 was taken. It was extremely threatening bullying that was going on."