Men kicked, robbed, abused and poured beer on woman as she lay helpless and unable to move away
MEMBER OF ATTACK GROUP WENT ON TO ROBBERY
A DRUNK woman had alcohol poured over her and was kicked as she lay on the floor in a tormenting robbery by a group of young men.
The victim, an alcoholic resident at Westbourne House, stumbled to the ground intoxicated after leaving the support service residence on August 19 last year.
Up to seven young men then tormented her, shouting “you f ****** spicehead” and “spicehead b **** ” before pouring beer over her.
At Hull Crown Court, prosecuting barrister Laura Marshall said: “She described being kicked as she laid on the ground. Beer was poured over her and one male said ‘I’m going to take your phone’ as he grabbed it out of her hand.
“She tried to fight back, but she had no strength.”
Later that night, the court heard how a member of the group, Jordan Barker-rogers, 22, had met up with Harry Rowbotham, also 22, and two other men to buy alcohol after a house party.
Less than a mile away from the earlier robbery the four men spotted an open four-bedroom property in St Ninian’s Walk, off Chanterlands Avenue.
“The owner was falling asleep in a ground-floor bedroom and he heard the sound of shuffling,” said Ms Marshall.
She described being kicked as she laid on the ground. Beer was poured over her and one male said ‘I’m going to take your phone’ as he grabbed it out of her hand. She tried to fight back, but she had no strength Laura Marshall
“He opened the bedroom door and came face-to-face with four males. One of them was leaving the house pushing a bike valued at £1,600.
“As a result, the homeowner tried to stop the man at the door who said ‘touch me and I will f ****** kill you,’ but he took hold of the bike and the person who had hold of it let go.”
The four burglars left the property, taking a laptop and another bike with them.
However, Barker-rogers and Rowbotham were both recognised by hostel staff when police made enquiries, the court was told.
In interview, Barker-rogers admitted that he was part of the group involved in the earlier robbery, telling officers he was one of those who poured alcohol over the woman.
He denied taking the mobile phone and kicking her as she lay on the floor. Ms Marshall told the court that another member of the group was previously sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm in youth court.
“He also admitted to the burglary,” said Ms Marshall. “He said a group of four went to buy more alcohol and they came across the house and saw it was open.
“He said he did not enter the house, but was handed a bike by another male and cycled off. He then later gave the bike to the co-accused Rowbotham.”
Barker-rogers, of Gasby Road, off Holderness Road in east Hull, appeared at Hull Crown Court to be sentenced for robbery and burglary.
Rowbotham, of no fixed abode, was to be sentenced for burglary and an offence of shop theft committed two months earlier.
At around 7pm on June 27, Rowbotham entered the Co-op store in Greenwich Avenue, where he ran out with £45 worth of chocolate bars without paying.
Ms Marshall said: “He was challenged by a security officer, but managed to leave the store. A nearby off-duty police officer managed to detain him.
“It is said he pleaded with the officer not to arrest him and he offered to pay for the items he stole.”
After his four-year relationship came to an end, Rowbotham’s life went into “turmoil”, according to mitigating barrister Charlotte Baines.
She said: “He struggled to get his head straight and he committed these offences against that background.
“It is not an excuse, but it does perhaps explain why he was stealing from a shop and committing this offence of burglary.”
Ms Baines told the court that Rowbotham intended to lead “a law-abiding lifestyle” upon his release and become a good role model to his two young children.
Barker-rogers was also facing similar “upheaval” at the time he committed the offences on August 19, after he “lost all of the stabilising factors” in his life, the court heard.
“His relationship ended,” said mitigating barrister Stephen Robinson. “That was the catalyst for the loss of his accommodation and the loss of his business.
“He lost everything in a few short months and ended up in a hostel. Once there, he didn’t spend his time appropriately.
“He went to a party, drank far too much, which led to him behaving in a way that he would not have usually done. I ask the court to bear in mind the defendant’s profound remorse in relation to this. He is extremely ashamed of his behaviour.”
Addressing Barker-rogers in the dock, Recorder Smith described the robbery as a “mean offence” on a “vulnerable” woman.
He was sentenced to 32 months in prison for the robbery with a further 18 months added consecutively for the burglary in St Ninian’s Walk that same night.
For the same offence, Rowbotham was given a 28-month sentence with a further six weeks added on top for breaching a suspended sentence.