Girl acted as 'honeytrap' in Wolverhampton robberies

A teenage girl who acted as a honeytrap to lure two men to a secluded spot before they were violently robbed has been locked up for almost three years.

The pretty teenager and two 18-year-old men struck twice within 24 hours, stealing clothes and valuables from their victims. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday how the girl, who is under 18 and cannot be named for legal reasons, approached Robert Frost, aged 22, after he left the Oceana nightclub in the city at around 3.30am.

She asked Mr Frost to see her home because she was alone and the pair walked down to the subway under the Bilston Street island.

There, masked Nathan Berry and Nathan Machin jumped from bushes and punched him before stealing his wallet, watch and £10.

At around 11.15pm the same day, August 6, the trio struck again when the girl began talking to a 29-year-old man who had been in to town to see a friend.

He began talking to the teenager near the Job Centre in Queen Street and the duo walked to the underpass.

There he was knocked to the floor by Berry, of Bath Street, All Saints, and Machin, of Holyhead Road, Albrighton, as the girl looked on.

The gang stole the man's washing, which he was carrying with him, and a £50 mobile phone and left him with a bruised eye.

Judge John Warner, who rejected the Express & Star's application to name the girl, sent the three to custody for 33 months each after they admitted two charges of robbery.

He told her: "You didn't strike any of the blows, but you were a crucial part of what happened by luring these two victims into a position where they could be attacked."

Lawyers for the trio said they would "never be able to explain" why they had carried out the raids.

Miss Sarah Buckingham, defending, said they were "all young people with promising futures".

By Crime Correspondent Mike Woods