Man jailed after punching pensioner on mobility scooter
A man has been jailed after he punched a pensioner on a mobility scooter and tried to rob him.
Zahid Akhtar, 36, also pulled off his elderly victim's glasses during the incident on May 26.
Akhtar spotted the man, who is in his 70s, in the Moseley area of Birmingham as he was returning from shopping.
Akhtar grabbed hold of the pensioner from behind and tried to pull him from the scooter, shouting "Give me the money".
Akhtar began punching the man, leaving him with a cut to his face, before throwing his glasses onto the ground.
As Akhtar went to leave, a passing cyclist who had seen the assault stopped to help and along with another passer-by managed to hold Akhtar until officers arrived and arrested him.
Akhtar, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court, to four years after pleading guilty to assault with intent to rob.
Detective Constable Jeff Brooks, of West Midlands Police CID, said: "The passing cyclist courageously stepped in when he saw what was happening to this elderly man and with the help of another passer-by managed to apprehend Akhtar.
"We can only praise their community spirit and thank them for their actions which have helped us put a cold-hearted criminal behind bars."
