Mugger could face life sentence
AKNIFEMAN ‘jumped out of the bushes’ on a secluded path before robbing a terrified man of his money and mobile phone, a court heard.
David Hindson hid in the bushes on the ‘Black Path’ in Accrington, near Tesco, before confronting victim Simon Worsley at around 3pm on April 9 this year.
Prosecutor Charlie Brown told Burnley Crown Court how Hindson was wielding a 10-inch kitchen knife and that Mr Worsley was ‘extremely frightened’.
Hindson, 38, demanded money and when the victim said he didn’t have a mobile phone he was ‘patted down’ by the defendant before handing over his iPhone.
The court heard how Mr Worsley fled the scene and called police. When they returned to the area Hindson was spotted and arrested.
Hindson, formerly of Lydia Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing a bladed article.
Mr Brown told the court that the defendant has 17 previous convictions including seven weapons offences and that he was jailed in 2015 for robbery and three attempted robberies using knives.
Defending, Matthew Howarth said he accepted an assessment by the probation service that Hindson should be classed as a ‘dangerous offender’.
He told the court: “He does present as someone who is genuinely remorseful. He said he really regrets what he has done and really hopes the man who he robbed can move on with his life and doesn’t suffer greatly. He is truly contrite.
“Mercifully nobody was seriously injured. He didn’t hurt the individual but he did steal his money and phone in an area that was secluded from the rest of the public.
“He really needed possessions to acquire money to feed his [drug] habit.
“Being in prison will help him get back on the straight and narrow.”
Judge Sara Dodd adjourned sentence to Thursday, August 16.
She told the court: “I have started to reflect on the sentence and it’s not an easy and straight forward exercise.
“This is a sentence that carries a maximum of life so I need to consider the approach I need to take.”
When Mr Howarth requested for Hindson to be sentenced over the video link, Judge Dodd replied: “In a case of this gravity it’s only right he is produced at court. He will be brought back to court on Thursday.”