A man has been jailed for his part in a knifepoint robbery of a 12-year-old child.
Zabed Miah, 19, and two others approached the boy as he was sat talking to his friends in a park in Stalybridge.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard that the boy’s friends were told to ‘f*** off’ before they grabbed him by the neck and demanded he hand over his mobile phone.
As he tried to run away, one of the group produced a knife and demanded the phone again, which he duly handed over.
The trio then fled, but were chased by onlookers who took pictures of them and the police were called.
Officers later found Miah, of no fixed abode, in a house nearby - he had changed his clothes, but following a search, the discarded clothes and knife were recovered.
He pleaded guilty to offences of robbery and possession of a knife and was today (September 2) jailed for two years and six months.
Summarising the facts of the case, Judge John Potter said that on May 19 2019, the young boy and a few friends were chatting in the park at around 5.45pm when they were approached by the robbers.
It was said that Miah, who was 16 at the time, was not the person holding the knife but given the fact it was a joint enterprise robbery, he would be sentenced in the same aspect.
“You and two others approached him. Those talking to him were told to ‘f*** off’,” he said.
“At which point, the victim was grabbed by his neck and lifted to his feet and his phone was demanded.
“He tried to run away from the three of you but a knife was produced from a bag being carried and at this point the phone was demanded once more and he handed it over.”
After they fled the scene, they were chased down and the police were alerted.
They found Miah in a house nearby in a change of clothes.
The knife used in the robbery was also discovered.
Miah was said to have two previous convictions including an offence of wounding committed when he was a youth.
Mitigating, David Morton said his client was ‘extremely regretful’ for what happened in May.
“He has no resentment towards the victim and wishes to apologise.
“His mother is in court and whilst she doesn’t condone this behaviour, she supports him.”
He added that his client wishes to work in the field of architecture and is ‘highly intelligent’.
Sentencing on Friday, Judge Potter said: “You accept by way of guilty plea that the robbery was of joint enterprise.
“This offence was committed whilst on licence for this offence.
“I take into account your age at the time of the offence.
“A knifepoint robbery of a 12-year-old child in a public place, in any view, crosses the custody threshold.”
Miah, of no fixed abode, was jailed for two years and six months.
See the latest court and crime news in your area by receiving email updates.
