Robber who stole phone to fund drug addiction is jailed
A robber has been jailed for more than two years for stealing a man’s mobile phone as his unsuspecting victim sat on a wall waiting for a bus.
Ryan Sheldon, 30, who has a long record of similar convictions, had been looking to sell the phone to fund his drug addiction, a court heard.
The attack in Thorns Road, Quarry Bank, came just days after he had been released from prison on licence after serving a sentence for burglary offences.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how he had approached Mr Tomlins, who was listening to music on his headphones as he waited for the 276 bus to Dudley at around 4.45pm on October 13, 2017.
Sheldon asked him about his sister, becoming agitated and wide-eyed as he did so, and was soon joined by another male, said Mr Geoffrey Dan, prosecuting.
Mr Tomlins turned to walk away but the defendant started patting down his upper body till he found a mobile phone which he took from Mr Tomlins’ pocket, throwing away the headphones.
He then pushed his hand into his own pocket, indicating that he had a weapon and would use it, before leaving the scene.
Speechless
The victim, who was left speechless and in shock, caught the next bus but got off a stop later and contacted police. CCTV footage of the incident was examined and Sheldon was arrested, when police also found amphetamines on him, the court heard.
In an impact statement, Mr Tomlins said he had been frightened that Sheldon was going to harm him.
Since the robbery he did not use his phone on the bus or in public places and felt anxious about using public transport.
Ms Lucinda Wilmot-Lascelles, defending, said Sheldon had made “fundamental changes” since the incident two years ago, when he had been an “incredibly heavy user” of drugs.
She said: “He said nothing else mattered to him at that time. He was completely blinkered and unaware of he impact of his behaviour on others.
“Now he is clear [of drugs] and wishes to apologise.”
The court heard that Sheldon suffers from a schizophrenic disorder and drug-induced psychosis, and that health professionals had not found a medication that worked for him.
Passing sentence, Judge John Burbidge told him: “You were probably under the influence of drugs at the time of the offence. The amount of force you used was modest but significant to Mr Tomlins.”
Sheldon, of Princip Street, Newtown, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of amphetamines.
He was jailed for two years and three months.
