Under the Theft Act 1968, robbery is defined as theft with force, or with the threat of force, meaning that those who carry out robberies or attempted robberies threaten, or inflict, violence upon against those they intend to steal from.
The criminals pictured here have robbed and attempted to rob businesses and people in South Yorkshire, and have all been jailed during hearings held at Sheffield Crown Court in 2022.
In some cases, robbers have threatened people with weapons including imitation firearms, baseball bats and knives including a machete.
1. Rifiqat Khan: Bat-wielding robber jailed after targeting a woman selling her iPhone
Sheffield Crown Court heard on June 10 this year how Rifiqat Khan, then aged 37, of Abbeyfield Road, at Pitsmoor, Sheffield, joined forces with a young co-accused who had arranged to buy an iPhone from a woman but he stole it during a meeting as Khan stepped in with a bat striking the woman’s boyfriend. Neil Coxon, prosecuting, said the woman had arranged to sell her phone via Gumtree and had agreed to meet in Ecclesall but as the phone was handed to the co-accused he fled and was chased by the complainant’s boyfriend and Rifiqat Khan stepped out from behind a car with a baseball bat. Mr Coxon added Rifiqat Khan passed the bat to the co-accused but after it was passed back to him he struck the woman’s boyfriend to his head with the bat. The woman’s boyfriend threw Rifiqat Khan into some bins, according to Mr Coxon, and members of the public helped detain this defendant and the co-accused was also detained after he struck the woman’s boyfriend with the iPhone box. Mr Coxon added: “Officers arrested the two defendants and discovered the mobile phone and the baseball bat.” Khan, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the robbery from September 13, 2020. Recorder Matthew Happold sentenced Rifiqat Khan to three years of custody. Photo: SYP
2. Paul Smith: Robber terrorised shop staff with imitation gun
During a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court on June 28 this year, prosecuting barrister, Matthew Burdon, told the court how Smith, of Machon Bank, Nether Edge carried out the attempted robbery at the Sainsbury’s store on Division Street in Sheffield city centre at around 8.15am on December 16 2021. In a statement read to the court, a Sainsbury’s staff member working behind the counter described the terrifying moment Smith approached her, armed with what she believed to be a gun, and demanded she had over the money from the till. “I was in fear for my life, I actually thought he was going to kill me,” she said. Mr Burdon said Smith, aged 47, was subsequently tackled to the floor by the store manager, who was joined by the store's security guard. Smith attempted to flee but was detained again by the security guard. Recorder Daffyd Enoch QC jailed Smith for eight years, and commended the Sainsbury’s staff who tackled him for their 'extraordinary bravery'. Photo: SYP
3. NSST-Johnathan Ashton.jpeg
Jonathan Ashton, now aged 34, carried out two robberies in January 2021, aided by two accomplices. In May, he was jailed for four years and nine months for two counts of robbery, one count of handling stolen goods and one count of possessing a firearm during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Corut. But that has now been extended after concerns were raised that the sentence was unduly lenient for what he had done. It has now been nearly doubled. On July 26 2022 the Court found Ashton’s original sentence to be unduly lenient and increased his sentence to eight years and eight months’ imprisonment. Speaking after the hearing, the now Solicitor General Edward Timpson CBE QC MP said: “Ashton stole thousands of pounds worth of goods and cash while threatening members of the general public. I welcome the decision to increase his sentence, to better reflect the serious nature of these offences. Photo: SYP
4. Benjamin Mellor: Knife-wielding robber jailed after he targeting two women in the street
Sheffield Crown Court heard on February 25 this year how Benjamin Mellor, aged 31, of Gresley Road, Lowedges, targeted the women as they were walking to work in December last year. Charlotte Noddings, prosecuting, said Mellor began waving a knife around and making stabbing motions as one of his victims handed over some small change, and he swung the other woman about as she struggled with her bag. Mellor got away with a purse containing bank cards which he used to buy goods from Nisa and Premier stores, according to Ms Noddings, but a further attempt to purchase items at a McColl’s store was declined. Mellor, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and he also admitted three counts of fraud from December 2021, as well as two counts of theft after he stole chocolates from a McColls store in November 2021. Judge Graham Reeds QC sentenced Mellor to six years of custody with an extended custodial licence period of four years having deemed him to be dangerous. Photo: SYP