Teen locked up for moped bag snatch

A MOTHER had her handbag ripped from her grasp in Leeds city centre after being targeted by robbers on a moped.

Connor Amps was locked up for nine months after a court how the victim was terrified during the daylight attack as she was out with her daughter.

Leeds Crown Court heard 18-year-old Amps was riding the moped and had two pillion passengers at the time of the incident on Crown Street on November 3. Angela Wrottesley, prosecuting, said the mother and daughter were walking when they heard the sound of a motorcycle.

One of the passengers then grabbed her handbag which contained a phone and other items worth £1,000. The prosecutor said the woman screamed as she was dragged backwards before losing her grip on the bag.

The court heard the woman suffered swelling to her fingers as two false nails were ripped off during the robbery. Amps was arrested four days after the incident and denied taking part in the robbery. He refused to name the two passengers when he later admitted his involvement.

Amps, of Shakespeare Gardens, Burmantofts, Leeds, pleaded guilty to robbery, careless driving, having no insurance and no licence.

The court heard Amps has convictions for bicycle thefts committed in 2018.

He was the subject of a community order at the time of the robbery.

Anthony Farrell, mitigating, said Amps had been in custody since his arrest and had found it a frightening experience.

He said Amps was sorry, wanted to address his offending behaviour and had the support of his family. Judge Penelope Belcher said: “This took place in the middle of the day in the city centre and it was a group incident.”