Teen locked up after attempting to rob man, 58, at cashpoint

A TEENAGER who tried to rob a retired man as he withdrew cash from an ATM was foiled when a bystander grabbed him in a bear hug.

Daniel Jacobs, 18, pushed his victim Stuart Isaac, 58, to the ground as he tried to take cash out of the machine but the defendant was tackled to the ground by a member of the public.

He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court yesterday, via video link from HMP Swansea, for his sentencing hearing after previously pleading guilty to attempted robbery.

Prosecutor Jason Howells told the court that Mr Isaac and his brother had been out drinking on October 13 in Pontypool and Cwmbran before moving on to Newport. At around 6.30pm they left a pub – when Mr Isaac was at a cashpoint.

Mr Howells said: “Mr Isaac used the cash point and asked for £10 at which point the defendant came over.

“He was then pushed in the back by two hands causing him to fall to the floor. The defendant waited for the money to come out of the machine but before that a man grabbed him in a bear hug.”

Jacobs was arrested shortly later. He claimed he had bumped into Mr Isaac and had caused him to fall but it was an accident and he never intended to rob him.

The defendant has six convictions for robbery or attempted robbery since 2013 and was in breach of a community order at the time of his latest offence.

Jacobs, of Pen-y-Bryn, Bettws, Newport, was sentenced to four years and four weeks in a young offenders’ institute.