JAILED: Wolverhampton street robbers who acted like ‘pack of wolves’
Two teenagers young men in a gang who behaved like a ‘pack of wolves’ while robbing a victim of his cash and jewellery have each been locked up for four years.
Marcus Feeney was targeted by the mob as he paused for a smoke after leaving the Royal Tiger pub in Wednesfield High Street around 1am, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
He was approached by 18-year-old Callum Morris who asked for, and was given, a cigarette before ripping a gold chain from the neck of the victim who was told to run away as four more people gathered round him, said Mr Richard Gibbs, prosecuting.
The victim fled down the High Street and into Lichfield Street pursued by the gang who caught up with him on a canal bridge where his phone was stolen. Mr Feeney was threatened with a knife but managed to escape again.
He was so frightened he plunged into the canal and swam to the other side to get away from his tormentors.
But when he emerged dripping wet from the water they were waiting for him after cycling over the bridge, the court was told. They searched his pockets and took a further £30 before finally deciding to leave him alone.
The victim later told police that the mob had behaved like ‘a pack of wolves’ during the near 15 minute ordeal, the court heard.
Morris, of Okement Drive, Wednesfield, and 19-year-old Joseph Arrow were arrested, identified by Mr Feeney as being among those involved and both were convicted of the June 11 robbery following a trial.
Mr Andrew Wilkins, defending, conceded that it had been a ‘nasty and unpleasant’ offence but pointed out that Arrow had given details to the police of others allegedly involved in the incident.
As a result the defendant had been attacked in the showers by fellow inmates while in custody on remand waiting for the case to be resolved because he had broken a supposed vow of silence, disclosed the lawyer.
Recorder Paul Atkinson, sentencing the pair to four years detention in a Young Offenders Institution, said he could not decide which of the pair had the knife used to threaten Mr Feeney but continued: “This was an exceptionally serious offence.”
“It was a prolonged attack on a man who was on his own. He is not a strong swimmer but swam across the canal only to be robbed again when he got out of the water cold and frightened.
“He is obviously still shaken by the events of that night which will have a long lasting effect on him. When he goes out at night to enjoy himself in the future, as he is entitled to do, this incident will be at the forefront of his mind.”
The two defendants were each received a sentence of four years detention in a Young Offenders Institution.
