Robbery gang attacked victim near to Leeds shopping centre as he walked home from work

A robber has been jailed for his role in a gang attack on a man walking home from work through Leeds city centre.
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The victim was punched and had property worth £400 stolen from him during the incident on November 22, 2019.

Matthew Mandende, 20, and a group of three or four others targeted the victim near to Merrion Street.

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Leeds Crown Court heard the victim was walking through an alleyway between St John's Church and the St Johns Shopping Centre when he was attacked from behind.

Robber Matthew Mandende was jailed for 32 months.Robber Matthew Mandende was jailed for 32 months.
Robber Matthew Mandende was jailed for 32 months.

Jo Shepherd, prosecuting, said a member of the gang pulled the victim backwards by his rucksack.

He fell to the ground and one of the attackers punched him in the face.

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The prosecutor said the man told the gang he did not have any cash.

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His rucksack was search and a mobile phone and headphones were taken.

One of the attackers then said to him: "Get out of here and don't tell anyone."

The man then alerted staff at the shopping centre and police were contacted.

Read more: Man jailed for wielding machete and knife during street violence in LeedsMandende was identified from CCTV footage of the incident.

He pleaded guilty to robbery and was jailed for 31 months.

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The court heard another member of the gang has already been sentenced over the incident.Francis Pencheon, mitigating, said Mandende pleaded guilty on the basis that he was not responsible for punching the victim.

She said Mandende was abusing cannabis at the time and committed the offence to fund his habit.

Sentencing, Recorder Abdul Iqbal QC said: "It is plain to me that this was a group attack on him."