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Robber in gang attack outside Wolverhampton city centre club is jailed

A robber who was part of a gang that stole a wallet containing £900 cash from a man at a city centre nightspot has been jailed.

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The victim was targeted after midnight at Sinderella's in Exchange Street, Wolverhampton, a court heard.

Andrew Bell, aged 27, tried unsuccessfully to steal the wallet from the back pocket of the businessman who had been drinking on a night out, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Then three other men got involved and manhandled the victim out of the club, acting like security guards, when he refused to leave with them, explained Mr David Lees, prosecuting.

The lawyer continued: "He was put to the ground on the staircase leading from the premises and surrounded by the men who took his mobile phone and wallet with £900 cash, driving licence and credit cards."

Bell and another man were recognised by police from CCTV of the incident during the early hours of June 21 and arrested while the other two have not been traced, the court heard.

Mr Lees said: "During the night the wallet of the man appears to have been on display and a member of staff at the club told him to conceal it. He was aware that a man had been trying to take the wallet from his back pocket.

"He was later approached by the same man and three others who acted like security guards but, when he refused to leave, they dragged him outside, put him to the floor and robbed him."

The victim said in a statement: "Money can be replaced but mentally and physically this has hurt me, my family and my business."

Miss Michelle Heeley, defending, commented: "Bell tried to put his hand in the back pocket of the man. When that failed it was the other three who turned it into a robbery. His mistake was not to distance himself from what followed and so, by dint of joint enterprise, he is responsible for what happened."

Father of three Bell from Hopyard Gardens, Sedgemoor Park, Wolverhampton pleaded guilty to robbery and was sent to prison for two years and four months by Recorder David Mason QC, who told him: "This was a very unpleasant incident. This man was enjoying himself in a nightclub and deserved to be left alone. You and the others saw that he had a large amount of money. You tried unsuccessfully to steal the wallet and unfortunately things deteriorated from there."

The other man identified by police from CCTV film of the incident had previous convictions for robbery and attempted robbery and was sentenced to 40 months jail at a separate court hearing.

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