Wannabe gangster robbed phone from 'terrified' girl to 'impress drug dealers in Heath Town, Wolverhampton'

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that Smith’s dad was living in Heath Town, Wolverhampton, and he wanted to impress drug dealers in the area.

However, his barrister said that if Smith tried to rob someone his own size, he “hasn’t got it in him”.

Smith, who was 17 at the time of the offences, targeted the little girl at around 6.30pm on April 22 last year.

The court was told she went to the corner shop on her scooter and that Smith was hanging around outside with two other males.

Smith then followed her on his bike and asked her for the time.

“She sensed he was following and stopped because she didn’t want him to know where she lived,” said Rosemary Proctor, prosecuting.

“She got her phone out and showed him (the time) and she said his eyes went wide.

“He told her to give him the phone and not to tell anyone.” She handed him the £250 iPhone and Smith made off on his bike.

The girl went to a nearby friend’s house and was taken home.

'Scared of strangers'

In a victim impact statement, the girl said the robbery had made her “scared of strangers I don’t know” and “nervous” of going out.

She also said she lost lots of personal photos on the phone, including ones of family holidays.

“It makes me feel sad,” she added.

That incident came less than six weeks after Smith robbed a 13-year-old schoolboy on a bus.

On March 14 last year, Smith, sitting at the back of the bus in Telford, gestured to the boy to come over to him.

Smith ordered the boy to hand over his coat, and after the boy refused, told him: “If you don’t, it will make me angry”. He reached into a pouch he was carrying, making the boy fear he may be carrying a weapon.

Smith thought the coat was “fashionable with drug dealers”. The boy handed it over, but Smith wasn’t finished.

He called the boy back twice more, ordering him to hand over his ear pods and phone.

They arrived at Telford bus station and Smith made off with the items he stole.

The victim went home and told his mum. The incident was captured on CCTV.

'Scared to leave the house'

In a victim impact statement, the boy said he is “scared to go out and leave the house”.

“It makes me worried I’m going to be robbed again,” he said.

The total value of items stolen from the children by Smith was £815.

Smith, of Verbena Way, Sutton Hill, Telford, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery at an earlier hearing. He has no previous convictions.

Danny Smith, mitigating, said: “Nothing can take away from how mean these offences are. He recognises he has put himself in peril.“He has seen his father living in Heath Town, Wolverhampton, and has strived to try and fit in with the lifestyle of someone involved in gangs.

“What we see is someone who robbed mobile phones off young children. If he were to try and commit that offence on someone bigger or of equal size, he would have no chance of going through with that offence. He hasn’t got it in him.”

'She was 10. Think about that'

Judge Richard McConaghy told Smith he had “terrified” the little girl and the boy he robbed.

“Six months later she was still having flashbacks,” the judge said. “She was 10. Think about that.

“You have a younger brother. Can you imagine how he would feel if a stranger came up to him and terrified him in the way that you terrified that little girl?

“It is absolutely appalling what you did to her. Both of these offences are evidence of you picking on young children for your own benefit.

“You seemed to justify it because you ‘had nothing’ and people who had something should lose it so you can have it.

“That type of thinking is awful, immature and needs to stop.

“The world doesn’t owe you anything. 10-year-old girls owe you nothing.

“It is a shocking level of offence for you to arrive at court for the first time. It is clear to me you have been mixing with the wrong crowd.

“I have been told you’re sorry. My reading of the pre-sentence report suggests you have no remorse at all. You have a sense of entitlement.

“I’ve read about some trauma, you were stabbed when you were a mid-teenager.

“I’ve thought long and hard about the way in which I will deal with your case.”

The judge said both cases cross the custody threshold, but that he hopes there is “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation” for Smith.

He handed Smith a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, 120 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity days.

“I’m giving you a chance,” the judge told Smith. “If you commit any offences you will be back in court and will be going out of the back door (to custody).”