Street robber told victim he would 'cut him up' after demanding his wallet, Leeds court told
A robber threatened to “cut up” his victim after demanding his phone and wallet during a chance meeting in a town centre.
Reece Owen was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week for robbery and for a series of attacks on emergency workers when they tried to help him.
The 22-year-old knew his victim in the robbery, having met a week before, prosecutor Oliver Norman said.
On December 9 last year the victim was on Ropergate in Pontefract and saw Owen coming towards him.
Owen asked to use the man’s phone, but he told him it was new and not set up yet. They parted, but Owen then called him back.
He became angry with the man and went through his bag, taking the Samsung phone. He then went through his pockets and took the victim’s wallet, despite attempts to stop him.
Owen became angry again because there was no cash in the wallet. He gave the wallet back but kept the bank cards, demanding the man go with him to an ATM to withdraw money.
The victim said he believed Owen had a knife and was fearful when he said he would “cut him up” if he didn’t comply.
The victim reluctantly agreed but tried to make a dash into the nearby Ancient Borough Arms pub on Market Place, but was grabbed by Owen.
A short time later the victim ran into B&M Bargains and hid. CCTV from the store was later retrieved and sent to police, who arrested Owen.
He was also identified by the victim in an ID selection. Owen, of Fairfield Avenue, Pontefract, gave a no-comment interview to police.
While on bail, seven days later on December 16, a 999 call was made over concerns about Owen’s mental state amid claims he had taken an overdose of paracetamol and was self harming.
When help arrived, Owen became abusive and tried to swing punches at a female paramedic, before headbutting a male paramedic, causing a nose bleed.
The police arrested him but he became racially abusive and was kicking out, connecting with one of the officers.
He was PAVA sprayed but continued to hurl abuse.
Owen admitted the street robbery, two assaults on emergency workers, one common assault on an emergency worker and racially-aggravated harassment.
He has six previous convictions for 19 offences, including an assault on an emergency worker, and racially-aggravated harassment. At the time of his latest offending he was was subject to a 12-month sentence, suspended for 24 months. Imposed at Sheffield Crown Court, it was for dangerous driving and drug-driving.
Mitigating, Ed Moss said: “In the cold light of day, he is appalled by his behaviour. It would be fair to say he is struggling with the rapid decline of his behaviour.”
He said Owen had worked as a labourer and had the support of his family. He said that there were two “triggers” for Owen’s behaviour - that a close cousin had died and that he was struggling with not seeing his child so close to Christmas.
Mr Moss said: “He turned to drink and now we know the results. We know he is going to pay the price.”
Judge Howard Crowson gave him three years’ jail for the robbery, one month consecutively for the assaults and activated nine months of his suspended sentence, making a total sentence of three years and 10 months.