Victim locks violent would-be robber inside his car near Leeds Station

A VIOLENT criminal who tried to rob a man of his car was caught after his victim locked him inside the vehicle, a court heard.
The Dark Arches beneath Leeds StationThe Dark Arches beneath Leeds Station
The Dark Arches beneath Leeds Station

Donovan Dodsley, 26, was arrested after he he tried to rob the victim of his Audi as he parked beneath the Dark Arches near to Leeds railway station.

Leeds Crown Court heard the victim drove into the arches at 8.30am on December 11 last year and noticed Dodsley crouching down smoking a cigarette.

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The driver commented to Dodsley that he was lucky he had spotted him and not knocked him over.

He then went to a machine to buy a parking ticket and saw Dodsley sat in his car when he returned, searching through the glove box.

Dodsley ordered the man to hand over the keys to vehicle but he refused. Dodsley then told him: “Give me the keys or I will do you.”

The victim then used the keys to lock Dodsley inside the car.

Police were called and Dodsley was arrested at the scene.

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Dodsley, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. He was jailed for 32 months.

The court heard he has a criminal record dating back to 2007 for robbery and possessing an offensive weapon and violence.

He received a 21 month prison sentence in 2014 for wounding.

Michael Walsh, mitigating, said Dodsley pleaded guilty to the offence at the earliest possibility. He added that Dodsley was suffering from the effects of withdrawing from drugs at the time of the offence and was struggling with mental health issues.

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He said: “This is an usual offence because it was not like your usual street robbery.

“The complainant was in a position where he could always remove himself from the situation.”

Judge Tom Bayliss, QC, said: “You committed this offence in an isolated area when the victim must have felt vulnerable and your convictions are a significant aggravating factor.”