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Leeds Live
Leeds Live
National
Stephanie Finnegan

Second robber locked up over teenagers' attack on man in Leeds city centre

A second robber has been locked up for his role in a gang attack on a man walking home from work through Leeds city centre.

Matthew Mandende was part of a group who targeted the victim in an alleyway near Merrion Street on November 22, 2019.

The victim was punched and had £400 worth of property stolen from him.

Mandende, now aged 20, of Stratford Terrace, Beeston, was locked up for two years and eight months today (Tuesday) after pleading guilty to robbery.

Earlier this year, Osvaldo Rodriquez, 18, of Longroyd Grove, Beeston, was locked up over the robbery and a separate stabbing.

The third member of the gang has been sentenced at Leeds Youth Court.

Leeds Crown Court heard Rodriquez, Mandende and a youth were wearing dark clothing and had their hoods up when they followed a man as he walked home from work and mugged him in an alleyway beside the St John's Centre.

Rodriquez pulled the victim back by his backpack.

He was then punched and kicked and was told to hand over his phone and wallet while one attacker brandished a knife.

His phone and headphones, which were worth a total of £380, were taken before he was picked up from the ground and told not to tell anyone.

The victim, who had two cuts on his mouth and pain in his ribs, went into the shopping centre and told staff what had happened.

The moments before and after the robbery were captured on CCTV and Rodriquez could be seen leaving the scene with some of the victim's belongings.

Francis Pencheon, mitigating, said Mandende pleaded guilty on the basis that he was not responsible for punching the victim.

She said Mandende was abusing cannabis at the time and committed the offence to fund his habit.

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