Robber who threatened victim in Sandwell with machete when he was 16 given detention
At age 16 the defendant from Langley, Rowley Regis near Oldbury was taking part in serious crime.
A man has been sentenced for taking part in street robberies in Rowley Regis when he was 16-years-old.
In one of the incidents Jermaine Bunce, of Hackett Road, Langley, was armed with a machete which he used to threatened the victim who thought he was meeting him to sell a designer coat, hat and scarf on January 7, 2024.
However, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard the meeting attended by the victim accompanied by a friend, was a trick set up by the defendant and his accomplices who planned to steal the items which were worth £700.
Bunce, now 18, of had initially denied being responsible, but changed to guilty pleas for offences of robbery and possession of a blade ahead of his trial in August last year.
Sentencing him Judge Michael Chambers said: “As robberies go these were pretty serious because they were planned.”
”You arranged to meet with a view to purchase from him in Rowley Regis, but in reality you were setting him him up. You along with two of your associates were going to rob him. You were wearing face coverings and you had a large machete which had a five-inch blade.
“You threatened him with violence. As the victim tried to escape he was grabbed and slashed on his hand causing a wound which required five stitches. One of your group also humiliated his friend by telling him to remove his clothes and threatened to stab him.”
Judge Chambers said at that stage the offenders realised they had made a mistake and offered to give the victims £20 in settlement.
“At the time you were 16. You pleaded guilty on the date of your trial when you were 18. In approaching your case my powers determine the sentence based on your ago on the date of conviction which was aged 18.
“I take into account the sentence you would receive you were under 18. This incident happened on January 7, 2024. The delay is partly due to your decision to exercise your right to a trial.”
The judge said Bunce’s offending behaviour carried on and he was sentenced to 16 months detention for two separate robberies and false imprisonment in July 2025. He added that a report stated that Bunce was of high risk due to the serious nature of the offences and his links to gangs.
Sentencing him he said he took into account his age a the time of the offences, his difficult childhood and that he had been attending education courses while in custody. For the latest matters Bunce was sentenced to a total of four years youth detention with discounts. He must also pay the victims’ surcharge.