'She showed nothing but kindness to him': 'Desperate' Leeds street robber took victim's mobile phone as she offered to help him get food

Joao Dos Santos, a serial robber and thief, was locked for three years and four months over the offence in Beeston, Leeds.

Leeds Crown Court heard the 51-year-old continued to prey upon his victim despite the woman showing him kindness after he told her he was homeless.

Dos Santos targeted the mum on Hunslet Hall Road on June 5 this year.

Gareth Henderson-Moore, prosecuting, said the victim was listening to music on her phone with earphones in as she walked along the street.

Dos Santos approached her from behind and grabbed the phone from her pocket.

The victim fell against railings and hurt her arm during a struggle as she tried to get the device back.

She was crying and upset and asked the defendant why he had taken the phone.

Dos Santos told her that he was hungry and he would give it back to her if she gave him £5.

The victim said she had no cash on her.

Dos Santos then said he wanted £10 and walked with her to a cash machine.

Mr Henderson-Moore said Dos Santos became angry during the journey.

He told her he had a knife and she would not see her phone again if she screamed.

The defendant increased the amount when they got to the cash machine.

During the incident the woman advised Dos Santos to go to the Hamara Centre in Beeston if he needed help.

The prosecutor said the victim attended the centre with her daughter months later, on November 3.

Dos Santos, of Garnett Terrace, Beeston, was also there and the woman told staff about the robbery.

Police were contacted and the defendant was arrested.

He pleaded guilty to robbery.

The Angolan national has previous convictions for robbery and theft dating back to 2010.

He was jailed in 2017 for robbing a pensioner of a mobile phone in his own home.

Kara Frith, mitigating, said Dos Santos accepted he must face a lengthy prison sentence for what he had done.

Miss Frith told the court: "He understands that she had no way of knowing what he could or would have done to her.

"He does feel dreadful about the offence because she showed nothing but kindness to him.

"That is why he wanted to own up to his guilt."

Miss Frith said her client had managed to escape his home country after being tortured.

She added that Dos Santos committed the offence out of desperation as he was homeless and hungry.

Dos Santos appeared in court via a video link from HMP Leeds.

As he was sentenced by Judge Andrew Stubbs QC, the defendant said: "I just want to take this opportunity to say sorry for everything that happened. I regret."

After the case, Detective Inspector Vicky Vessey, of Leeds District Crime Team, said: “Dos Santos is a repeat offender who has targeted vulnerable victims purely for financial gain without any thought for the obvious trauma his actions have caused them.

“We will always treat offences such as this very seriously and do everything we can to convict those responsible.

"We hope the victim in this case, as well as the wider community, can take some comfort from knowing he has been brought to justice.”