‘Foaming’ robber jailed for 30 months

Steven Broome was seen pushing Guiseppi Baroni, 75, whom he believed to be his father, outside flats at Fewston Court, Leeds, before he grabbed him around the neck.

He was screaming at the pensioner to hand over £200 for his granddaughter and continued to shout abuse about him having left Broome’s mother years ago.

Broome looked like he was “foaming around the mouth” and was trying to reach into his victim’s pockets, Kirsten Mercer, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

He told two community support officers who stopped him near the flats that he had been trying to get some money promised to his daughter and his “father” would not hand it over.

Police attended and arrested him and the next morning when he woke up at the police station he could not remember any of what he had done.

He said he had picked up his anti-depressant and sleeping tablets and had taken 14 of the sleeping tablets and had done things in the past he could not remember after taking pills.

Derek Duffy, for Broome, said it was no excuse but he did not know what he was doing.

“He was seen to be foaming at the mouth at his father’s house so it was very probably precipitated by taking prescription drugs.”

He had a record for robbery and other dishonesty offences which stemmed from his addiction to heroin over the years. He was now on a methadone programme and clear of heroin.

The court was told he had hoped to reconcile with the man he considered his father but did not oppose a restraining order banning him from visiting him.

Broome, 29, of Conway Drive, Leeds was jailed for 30 months after admitting attempted robbery and was taken protesting from the dock.