Robber claimed to have knife in Ferryhill street mugging

The robber, Kieran Lee Wynn, who was with a woman, had seen the victim using the atm at the Post Office in Market Street, Ferryhill, at 2.50am, on Friday, June 30 this year.

As he walked away from the machine the man placed the notes in his phone case.

Durham Crown Court was told that as he was aware of the couple following him, he took the money from his phone case and placed it in an internal coat pocket.

Read more: Ferryhill drug addict jailed for machete threats after barging into family home

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said Wynn approached the man and asked for £20, but he told the defendant he needed the money to pay a bill.

As the man then walked along Darlington Road towards a bridge, Wynn grabbed him and pinned him against a wall, telling him to give him the money or he would stab him in the face.

Mr Baker said although the victim did not see a knife, he believed the defendant may be going to produce one from a pocket.

Wynn searched through the man’s pockets before locating the £30 and taking it, placing it in his own pocket before running from the scene, over a bridge, accompanied by the woman.

The victim reported it to police and said although he had not initially felt threatened, he did fear for his life when there was talk of a knife.

Mr Baker said once the police became involved, the victim said he felt reassured.

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Wynn was identified from CCTV in the area and was arrested on July 1, initially denying responsibility.

The defendant’s record of 51 convictions for 94 offences was said to have included an attempted robbery and possessing a bladed article, a machete, in 2015, for which he received a 64-month prison sentence.

He has since served further prison sentences and was said to have breached a five-year restraining order relating to the woman who accompanied him on the robbery, on June 30, no less than 11 times.

The 30-year-old defendant, formerly of Ferryhill and nearby Chilton, admitted robbery and the latest breach of the restraining order.

He also admitted an offence of racially aggravated harassment committed during a visit to his grandmother’s home, where he was pestering her for cigarettes and was then abusive, making racial slurs as she is married to a man of Arabic background.

Cainan Lonsdale, in mitigation, said the defendant has apologised over the distress caused to the victim of the robbery and to his own grandmother.

“He knows those were not the comments that ought to be made to anyone, especially his grandmother.”

Mr Lonsdale said the defendant has been in contact with the community mental health team and the drug and alcohol rehabilitation team, while on remand in Durham Prison.

He said, as a result, Wynn is now co-operating and using the services on offer to inmates, taking the correct medication.

“In speaking to him since his admission to custody I have noticed a marked improvement in the way he presents in conference.

“He tells me he doesn’t wish to return to a life of repeat offending.

“His family is involved in the scrap metal trade and he wishes to return to gainful employment upon his release.”

Read next:

Man stayed at woman's Ferryhill address breaching order 'at her request'

Assaults came amid harassment of 'ex' in Ferryhill, in July

Thief who stole detergent worth £78 from Ferryhill Co-op is jailed

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Mr Lonsdale added that the woman who was subject of the restraining order does not wish it to remain in place in future.

Imposing a three-year prison sentence, Judge James Adkin told Wynn that fortunately for both him and the man he robbed, the victim appears to be, “a robust individual”, and so the effect on him has not been as great as it might have been.

The judge added that but for the defendant’s guilty pleas the sentence would have been one of four years.