Leeds University students targeted by beggar armed with a needle

Trent Tosney approached the young women on Brudenell Road in the Hyde Park area, asking them for £10 and spun them a story about his sister needing insulin.

He would also be holding the syringe, which left them feeling scared, Leeds Crown Court was told.

The 33-year-old paranoid schizophrenic targeted six women in January in a matter of days.

Prosecutor Jonathan Foy said he would “get in their face” and “act erratically”.

On two occasions the females gave him the cash out of fear.

He approached the first woman sometime between January 17 and 21.

But he then targeted one on the evening of January 24, two on the afternoon of January 25 and two in the space of 90 minutes the next day.

One victim managed to take a photo of Tosney and handed it to police who arrested him on January 27. They found two needles on him at the time.

After admitting six counts of possessing a bladed article and four fraud by false representation, he was freed on bail pending further inquiries.

He then went on to commit two burglaries at student homes in the days after March 21, stealing a laptop, wallet and other items from addresses in Cliff Mount and Delph Mount in Woodhouse.

He was picked out in an ID parade after the occupants got a fleeting glance at him.

Tosney, previously of Beckhill Fold, Leeds, also admitted the two burglaries.

Held on remand since the break-ins, he appeared in court from HMP Leeds via video link and kept interrupting proceedings by shouting: “I want to apologise, I’m sorry, I will never do it again.”

Little mitigation was offered by his barrister Mark Foley after Judge Robin Mairs said he would not lock him up.

Judge Mairs described them as “unpleasant offences” and acknowledged that his schizophrenia is made worse by him failing to take his medication or mixing it with crack cocaine.

He said: “You expressed your desperation to get out of Armley (HMP Leeds), I will give you that opportunity.”

He gave him a three-year community order.