Student jailed for missing community service

A BIRMINGHAM student was jailed after he missed his community service shifts because he was working to pay himself through university, a court heard.

Faizan Kazi, 22, had been in trouble for his part in a robbery plot – which he said was the “stupidest idea in the world” – while still an A-Level student in 2014.

However, by the time he got his suspended sentence and 160 hours of unpaid work this February, he was in his second year at Birmingham City University.

By then, he had amassed £9,000 in tuition fee debts as he desperately tried to work to pay had begun with an argument his own way through his course. when he was studying for A-Lev

And instead of completingels.the unpaid work, he prioritised his He wanted to check another studies and his part-time sales student’s mobile phone for texts work to fund his course and and arranged with others for the contribute to household bills. student to be lured to a park.

After being hauled before a There, the victim was threatjudge, he was jailed for six ened with weapons and beaten, months for breaching his susbefore being ordered to hand pended sentence which has over his phone. It was later given now been reduced to five back. months on appeal. Kazi pleaded guilty to con

The Court of Appeal in Lonspiracy to rob on the basis he don heard Kazi, of Smeaton was not there, but had agreed Gardens, Winson Green, had that others would use force, but completed 64-and-a-half hours not weapons. The student, who of his work order. was of good character and genu

And Judge Anne Molyneux, inely remorseful, later said the sitting with Lord Justice idea was “stupid”. McCombe and Mr Justice Singh, His lawyers told the Court of said he deserved credit for that. Appeal that Kazi had only subThe judge said Kazi’s troubles sequently missed unpaid work sessions because he was focusing on his studies and his job.

He did not want to miss any of his part-time work as he was worried about losing his job, the appeal judges were told.

Although his suspended sentence had to be activated because he had breached it, he should have had a reduction because of the community work he did do.

Judge Molyneux said: “In our judgment, he was entitled to a modest reduction to take account of the work he had done. The term to be served should have been five months in custody.”

Kazi appeared in court via a video link from Birmingham Prison, but should be free within the next month.