Jail for knife robber

A man who carried out a knifepoint robbery in Peterborough has jailed for more than four years.

Leonard Devall, 23, was arrested on 1 March in connection with the robbery and theftofacarinRavensthorpe.

The 24-year-old victim was sat outside a convenience store in Bader Close in his car when Devall approached him, opened the driver’s door and threatened him with a knife.

Fearing for his life, the victim followed Devall’s demands and got out of the vehicle, enabling Devall to drive off – while being disqualified from driving.

After calling police, the victim used a tracking app to update officers on the location of his phone which had been left inside the car.

Armed officers located and intercepted the vehicle in Belvoir Way, Welland.

Despite Devall attempting to evade arrest and run away, he was detained and arrested on suspicion of robbery.

Devall, of no fixed address, admitted charges of robbery, possession of a knife in a public place, theft from a shop and driving while disqualified.

He appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (18 June) where he was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, as well as being disqualified from driving for a year and four months.

DS Justin Parr, from the Acquisitive Crime Team, said: “This was a really frightening ordeal for the victim who going about his own business when Devall threatened him with a knife and stole his car.

“Thankfully the knife wasn’t used to injure anyone in this instance.

“However we have seen families devastated by knife crime therefore I would urge anyone with information about someone who carries a knife to get in touch.”

Leonard Devall