Victim tracked Wolverhampton robber on Facebook

Simon Willington struck twice on an open field by Deansfield Community School, Wolverhampton, within five days.

His second victim, a 17-year-old student, had a brief glimpse of his face before he crept up on her and later tracked him down through her own investigations on Facebook, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Willington, aged 20, of Rowlands Avenue,?Deansfield, had only been released from prison three months earlier after serving time for his involvement in two other knifepoint robberies, though he insisted he was not the one armed on those occasions.

On June 27, he wore a hood and had his face covered with a scarf when he pulled out a kitchen knife and ordered one woman to 'give me your phone'.

His first victim, who handed over a white iPhone worth £500, estimated the blade he used was around 12 inches long. In a victim impact statement, the first woman said she had suffered nightmares and had practically stopped socialising in the wake of the robbery.

Ms Rhiannon Jones, prosecuting, said that on July 2, a student was walking alone through the same field and spotted Willington, of Rowlands Avenue, Deansfield, with his hood up as he was stood over her on a footbridge. His face was however uncovered. "He said 'give me your phone' and pointed a blade she estimated to be eight inches long at her stomach from around a foot away. She was unable to speak and gave him her Samsung phone worth around £50."

Ms Jones however said the second victim remembered Willington's face, found out his name through her own investigations on Facebook, and reported him to police. She then picked him out of an identity parade, the court was told.

He pleaded guilty to both robberies. Mr Stephen Blower, defending, said his client carried out the robberies because he owed someone a debt and they had become 'insistent' he paid it, despite being homeless at the time.

Judge Mark Eades handed him four years at a young offenders institute and a £120 statutory surcharge.