Schoolboy, 14, attacked by trio in Wolverhampton daylight robbery
A 14-year-old schoolboy had a new pair of £90 trainers snatched by a three strong gang of robbers in broad daylight, a judge was told.
The footwear had just been bought and was being carried in a JD Sports bag when the raiders struck in Queen Street, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
The victim was stopped by Ricardo Miles, aged 20, who ordered the youngster to give him the shoes, that were still in their box, said Mr Trevor Meegan, prosecuting.
The teenager ran off pursued by Miles, 20-year-old Sean Szoros and a 15-year-old youth and quickly handed over the trainers after being surrounded and threatened by the trio, continued the prosecutor.
The three robbers took the shoes to the JD Sports shop in Wolverhampton's Mander Centre - a different branch from where the goods had been bought - and were given a cash refund because the receipt was in the stolen bag, Mr Meegan said.
The trio were still in the city centre later in the day when arrested by police who recognised them from descriptions of the robbers, it was said.
Mr David Iles, defending, declared: "This was a foolish and brazen thing to do in a city centre. It was almost inevitable that they would get caught."
Szoros from Minsterley Close, Bradmore, Wolverhampton, Miles of Kipling House, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, and the 15-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, all admitted robbery.
Szoros was ordered to be detained in a Young Offenders Institution for 19 months while Miles received a similar 15 month sentence and the youth was given a 12 month rehabilitation order under supervision. They were ordered to pay the victim a total of £90 in compensation.
Judge Amjad Nawaz told them: "This was a very foolish but serious gang attack. The really frightening aspect is that this happened in broad daylight and you did not care whether you were seen."
