A criminology student who went on an armed robbery spree in the middle of his degree course at Wolverhampton University has been jailed for five-and-a-half years.

Momin Hasnain was described as a “model citizen” who had successfully completed a pre-recruitment course with West Midlands Police.

But the 20-year-old, who dreamed of being a teacher or customs officer, suddenly turned to violent crime with brother Syed, 22, who was studying at the same university to become a pharmacist.

The brothers, from Butts Road, Penn, struck twice in less than a week in Wolverhampton, wearing balaclava hoods and armed with a knife and crowbar.

They targeted motorists lured into ambushes by the teenage lover of the older brother, who is married with a young child.

One man was in his parked BMW with the girl in Beckminster Road, Penn, when the pair pounced and beat him up before escaping with three gold necklaces and a mobile phone.

Six days later they struck again in a carbon copy attack on another man who was with the girl in his car in nearby Wynn Road. He was left bruised and battered as they fled with a gold bracelet, mobile phone and car stereo.

The girl aroused suspicion because she was not harmed in either incident. A check on her mobile phone revealed she had been speaking to the brothers.

Mr Alan Edge, defending Momin, said:  “A mark of the esteem in which he was held is that the head of the university department where he was studying volunteered to write to the court on his behalf.”

The brothers admitted robbery. The younger man was sent to a young offenders institution for five-and-a-half years by Recorder James Burbidge while the other received five years and nine months. The girl, who cannot be named, was detained for 15 months.

By John Scott