Gang locked up for robbery of University of Wolverhampton student
Four teenagers who targeted a University of Wolverhampton student in a brutal robbery have been given sentences totalling almost seven years.
Mr Muslim Mohammed was beaten up while his shopping was stolen, Wolverhampton Crown court heard yesterday.
They struck as the 20-year-old walked through a city centre alley off Lichfield Street near the art gallery, said prosecutor Mr Gurdeep Garcha.
Mr Mohammed – who was carrying bags containing a pair of trainers and T-shirts he had just bought – was repeatedly punched by 18-year-old Nathan Weston and a 15-year-old on September 25 last year, the court was told.
During the attack, the victim dropped both bags, which were then taken by two 17-year-old girls, concluded Mr Garcha.
Minutes later Weston was wearing the trainers, and the T-shirts had been returned to the store where they had just been bought for a cash refund that was then spent on cigarettes by the gang, the court heard.
Weston, of no fixed address, and the other three defendants, who cannot be named because of their age, had all denied robbery but were each convicted by a jury at a trial last month.
They had been remanded for the preparation of reports prior for sentencing yesterday.
Recorder Edward Coke locked all four up and told them: "This was a targeted robbery which cannot be excused by your sad backgrounds and itinerant lifestyles. None of you have shown any sign of remorse."
Weston was sent to a Young Offenders Institution for 24 months and the two girls received detention and training orders for the same length of time.
The 15-year-old was given a 10-month detention and training order to take into account the amount of time he had spent in custody waiting for the case to come before the court.
