Robbers in ambush locked up

Three robbers who tricked their way into a teenager's flat and threatened him with a pizza cutter before trying to frogmarch him to a post office for cash have been locked up.

The young victim opened the front door after hearing the fake cries of mother-of-two Zoe Shaw, who was pretending she had been beaten up by her boyfriend. Ian Swinbourne and David Knott, who were hiding behind a wall, then pushed their way inside the flat, which is on the 10th floor of a block in Cradley Heath.

Shaw, aged 25, Swinbourne, 46, and 35-year-old Knott ambushed the flat at 5.30pm on July 18. Once inside, they rifled through the 17-year-old victim's pockets and took his laptop computer, mobile phone and bank cards.

Judge Martin Walsh sentenced Shaw to 40 months in prison, Knott to 52 months and ordered Swinbourne to be sentenced at a later date. Swinbourne was remanded in custody and warned he faced a lengthy sentence. Knott, of Station Road, Old Hill, Warley, previously pleaded guilty to robbery and theft and Shaw, of Wassell Road, Halesowen, and Swinbourne, of no fixed address, guilty to robbery.

Miss Rhiannon Jones, prosecuting, said Shaw took a pizza cutter from the kitchen and threatened the victim with it and also claimed she had a knife. The court heard that she said: "I swear to God I am going to stab this kid if he doesn't help us."

Miss Jones said the trio then frogmarched the teenager downstairs with the intention of taking him to a post office to draw out cash. However, he made his escape once outside and was helped by a member of the public, who called the police.

Judge Shaw described it as a violent incident that had terrified the young victim.