25/09/2009

'Cowardly' Robber Jailed

A prolific Leeds robber has been sentenced to four years in jail after robbing a mother as she pushed her 11-week-old baby.

Daniel Squires, 18, pleaded guilty to the robbery, which took place in the Seacroft area of the city in July.

On the day of the robbery, the 35-year-old woman had been pushing her baby in a pram as she walked back from Tesco along Hansby Drive when she was barged into by Squires causing her to let go off the pram, which began to roll away.

As the pram rolled, Squires's 17-year-old accomplice, who cannot be named for legal reasons, grabbed the woman's handbag from the top of the pram and they both ran off leaving the pram with the baby boy tipped on its side in the edge of the road.

A builder working nearby heard the woman's screams and came to her aid, calling the police.

The following day police searching the area to near where the offence took place found the victim's handbag which still contained some bank cards and other personal property. Her phone, purse and cash had been taken.

A forensic examination of the bag led police to link Squires and his accomplice to the robbery. They both pleaded guilty to the offence at Leeds Crown Court and the 17-year-old is due to be sentenced in October.

Detective Sergeant Marcus Dawson, who led the investigation, said: "This was a cowardly and premeditated attack by two young men on a lone woman and her baby.

"The potential consequences of their actions could have been severe as the pram containing the baby was tipped over and left in the edge of the road.

"The sentence reflects the severity of this incident and should serve as a notice of how street robberies like this will not be tolerated and how we will pursue, arrest and bring those responsible before the courts."

(PR)

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