Four men jailed for burglary/robbery offences - Bedford

11/05/2012

Two young men who committed a 'violent mugging at the dead of night' have been sent into custody.

One of them had carried out a "spiteful" burglary three weeks before the burglary, Luton Crown Court heard on Friday, 11 May 2012.

Altogether, four men were sentenced for their parts in the two offences committed in Bedford in October and November last year. Their sentences totalled six years and eight months.

Before the court on Friday were;

18-year-old Kurtis Johns, of Christie Road, Bedford, who pleaded guilty to burglary and was found guilty of the charge of robbery by a jury. He was sentenced to three years youth custody.

Ashley Arzu, also 18, of Dines Close, Wilstead who was sentenced to two years custody after pleading guilty to the robbery.

Harun Hing, of Paradine Road, Bedford and Pierre Allen, of Christie Road, both aged 22 who were each given 10 months imprisonment . They had pleaded guilty to burglary.

Alexander Krikler, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said the robbery was at 3.45am on 22 November last year near the railway station in Bedford. The victim was jogging home when the two youths assaulted him, kicking and head butting him.

The violence continued and some loose change was taken from his pocket, but thrown away. A chain he was wearing was ripped from his neck. The attack has led to him losing confidence to go out alone said the prosecutor.

Claudette Elliott, prosecuting the burglary charge for the Crown Prosecution Service said the victim had lent Hing some money, and when it was not repaid he sold Hing's Play Station, which had been left as security.

Two months later on 31 October last year his home in Ridgmount Street, Bedford, was burgled by the three defendants and property worth more than £2,000 was taken. The front door was broken down to gain entry.

Judge Stuart Bridge said: "It was a spiteful act of vengeance. He was perfectly entitled to sell the PS player."

Sentencing for the robbery he told Arzu and Johns: "This was an opportunist violent mugging at the dead of night. It was persistent, brutal and cowardly and it is clear the offence has had a considerable psychological impact on the victim."

Please note - all court copies are provided by South Beds News Agency, who retain the copyright for all articles published.