The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Angry boss held up BMX youths
Vandalism led to ‘vigilante justice’ by warehouse owner
A warehouse owner who robbed youths riding BMX bikes on his property, jabbing one in the face with a hammer, has been jailed for 21 months. Mohammed Ali (28) of Park Road was described by RecorderFieldsastheringleader of a robbery which took place at his warehouseinPadholme Road East in May 2015.
A second man, Faizan Awan (29) of Kesteven Walk was sentenced to 15 months for his part in the robbery.
Both men were f ound guilty byajuryafteratrial and were sentenced at PeterboroughCrownCourtlastFriday.
The warehouse had been a meetingpoint for local youths who had set up ramps to take part in their activities which were also thought to include skateboarding.
Recorder Fields said there had been a great deal of damage at the warehouse and that onthedayoftherobberythere had been reports of a fire, although there wasnoevidence any of the youths who were robbed had been involved.
Addressing Ali, he said: “Yourecruitedthreefriendsto go to the warehouse. You said it was to carry out repairs but I reject that. It was absolutely clear from the evidence you expected to see trespassers and wanted to scare them off.
“I do not think you went with the intention to rob. It went beyond the scope of the original plan and occurred spontaneously.”
Ali and his friends were then said to have grabbed somewoodwhentheyentered thewarehouseand“utterlyintimidated” the youths.
They were said to have complied with Ali’s demands to empty their pockets and hand over their phones, but when one refused to hand over his bike Ali was said to have taken a hammer used for repairs and “jabbed him in the face.”
Recorder Fields described Ali’s actions as “vigilante justice” but accepted the defence’s argument that it was not a “classic case of robbery.”
Defending Ali, Michael Procter said: “I wouldaskyour honourtoconsiderasuspendedsentence. MrAliisstill relatively young, he’s 28.”
He said Ali had many positive characteristics and that the injuries caused to the victim were not serious.
He added: “The weapons that were used to threaten camefromthewarehouseand it was not premeditated.”
Charles Kellett defending Awansaidhewasahard-working young man. He added: “It seems obvious this particular warehouse had been damaged by vandalism for some time with impunity. It does not make it any better, but perhaps puts it into context.”