Robber jailed over street attack on youth, 16

The 16-year-old victim had been out for the evening on April 15 and had just bought a pizza before he set off along Barnsley Road, Hemsworth, near Pontefract.

He saw another lad he knew and exchanged words with him but was then approached by Kevin John Marrs, who was drinking from a bottle of Stella Artois and asked him if he came from Hemsworth.

Marrs began walking along beside him and when the teenager crossed the road to get away from him Marrs suddenly grabbed him by the neck in a headlock and pushed his thumb into the youth’s left eye.

He then demanded his money and mobile phone, Robert Galley, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday. The teenager reluctantly got his wallet out but denied having a mobile phone because he did not want to hand it over.

Marrs took the wallet and was going to search his victim’s pockets but the teenager ran off and managed to get away.

His attacker, who had only been out of prison for three months, was later arrested and after initially denying responsibility said he had committed the offence impulsively when he had been drinking.

Marrs, 27 of Clifton Street, Hemsworth, was jailed for three years and four months after he admitted the robbery.

Christopher Morton for Marrs said in the past he committed acquisitive crime as a heroin addict. Since his release in January he had managed to stay of drugs but had become frustrated at not finding work and began drinking.

That night he went out to get more drink and committed the offence against the teenager on impulse which he regretted.

Jailing Marrs, Judge Rodney Grant said he had a bad record and while the robbery was not pre-meditated he had used violence on the teenager, causing him injury around his eye, and taken his wallet.