Phone robbers targeted teenagers in park near Sandwell College

Ace Hussain, aged 19, of Queens Road, Smethwick; Akib Kazmi, 18, of Cuin Road, Smethwick; and a 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court this week charged with robberies that took place on October 24 and 25, 2013.

Hussain and Kazmi pleaded guilty to two of the three charges while the 17-year-old pleaded guilty to all three.

Paul Spratt, prosecuting, said two of the offences took place when the group targeted two teenagers who were walking with female pals in Dartmouth Park on October 24.

They approached one of the teens and asked him to hand over cigarettes, money or his phone before making threats which caused the victim to fear the group was armed and resulted in him handing over his phone after trying initially to hide it in his pocket.

The other teen was then told to take the mobile phone from his pocket after threats were made in an aggressive manner.

In the third incident, a youth was robbed of his phone while walking to Sandwell College after the three defendants touched the top of their coats, which led the victim to believe they were carrying weapons.

However, the teen then told staff at the college, who were able to track down the defendants and call the police.

The court heard that all three were of previously good character and Anthony Potter, mitigating for Kazmi, said he had suspended his education studying health and social care because of the legal proceedings, adding the incidents were an "aberration".

Judge Nicholas Webb said: "A member of staff had the capacity to make sure you were well and truly apprehended. The victims phone had already disappeared and some of you were changing clothes to avoid detection. These were serious offences."

Hussain and Kazmi were given 16-month suspended sentences, a curfew order and order to do 150 hours unpaid work each, while the youth was given a youth rehabilitation order, a curfew and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.