Watch: Two elderly cyclists attacked and robbed on Leeds canal towpath
Shocking footage has been released showing the moments leading up to a 68-year-old cyclist being pushed off his bike and seriously injured during a violent attempted robbery in Leeds.
Paul Laveurt, 68, suffered a broken kneecap and cracked ribs after being attacked while cycling with his friend, John Hoban, 74, along a canal towpath in Stourton.
Alfie Smith, 20, of no fixed abode, has now been jailed for six years and six months for his involvement in the incident, alongside two other robberies and burglaries.
The attack happened shortly after 1pm on August 19, when Mr Laveurt and Mr Hoban were cycling near Thwaites Lane as part of a cycling club.
The pair were approached by two men, including Smith, before Mr Laveurt was pushed from his bike by Smith's accomplice.
When Mr Hoban got off his bicycle to help his injured friend, Smith instructed the other man to steal Mr Hoban's bike instead.
Mr Hoban was kicked and punched as he attempted to prevent the theft.
The offenders fled on Mr Hoban's bicycle, also stealing his black saddle bag containing tools, a Hammerhead Karoo sat nav and his wallet.
Mr Laveurt was taken to hospital, where doctors discovered he had suffered a broken kneecap and cracked ribs.
In a victim personal statement read to the court, he described the devastating impact of the attack.
He said: “At 68 years old, the physical and psychological toll of these injuries has been severe, slow, and profoundly painful, drastically impacting my independence and quality of life.
“The incident has left me deeply fearful and nervous about the prospect of riding my bike again, inducing a lingering anxiety regarding my safety. The combination of isolation, loss of my passions, and extreme pain has severely diminished my daily life.”
Mr Hoban also described how the robbery had changed his enjoyment of cycling.
He said: “I used to do a lot of cycling which both kept me fit and in touch with my friends but since the incident I find myself constantly looking ahead for suspicious looking young men instead of enjoying the countryside and social banter. As such, I don’t enjoy cycling as much as I used to and am going out less often. The incident has taken a lot of the fun out of off-road cycling for me.”
Smith was also sentenced for another robbery on August 10, when a 53-year-old man was threatened with violence and had his electric bicycle stolen on the canal towpath in Stourton.
Police said Smith was accompanied by two other people riding electric bicycles during that incident.
He was also linked to two burglaries at a secure car park and bicycle storage area in Whitehall, Leeds, on February 3 and March 17.
A bicycle was stolen during the first burglary, while a lock and bicycle were damaged during the second.
PC Mo Sheikh, of Leeds District Crime Team, who investigated the offences, said: “The statements that these victims have provided show the real human impact of what for Smith was probably an opportunistic theft with the hope of making a bit of money.
“Mr Hoban also reflected in his statement on how deeply unpleasant it was to be attacked by a man over 50 years younger than him. I know for these two men and the victim of the earlier robbery that this experience has fundamentally changed their feeling of safety doing leisure activities they once enjoyed.
“Smith was positively identified by the victims in both the incidents on 10 and 19 August and we were also able to forensically link him to the burglary offences.
“He has not acted alone though, and these offences remain under investigation to ensure that others involved are also brought to justice for their actions.
“I hope that this conviction and sentence provides some reassurance to the wider community. We will continue to act on information provided to us by members of the public and carry out patrols in hotspot areas, including the use of our own off-road motorbikes.”