South Yorkshire thief “trapped” train traveller into cash transfer

Kaleem Ali put his legs across the seats opposite the man on an otherwise empty Scunthorpe to Meadowhall train, after getting on at Rotherham, at 12.35pm, on February 24.

He claimed to have lost £40 and began pestering him for cash, said prosecutor Charles Blatchford.

At one point he lent over and told the man to check his wallet, saying: "Just do it m**********."

When he was shown an empty wallet, Ali began telling him to transfer the money from his bank account, and handed over his details.

"His victim thought he was about to be assaulted and had no alternative," said Mr Blatchford.

After the money was transferred, Ali told the man to get off the train with him, but his victim exited through a different door, and contacted British Transport Police shortly afterwards.

When Ali was arrested he denied intimidating the man, but later told officers: "I shouldn't have asked him. I was upset and angry that I had lost £40. I am sorry."

Sheffield Crown court heard that three months later the victim said he still feels anxious and no longer safe on public transport.

Ali has previous convictions for robbery in November 2014, for which he received a youth rehabilitation order and a three month curfew. And in February 2016 he was convicted of intimidating a witness, for which he received a community order.

Emma Coverley, mitigating, said Ali didn't use direct threats or physically harm the man, adding: "His mental condition means that he acts impulsively, on occasion. Because of the problems he has he will struggle more in prison."

She said he should be referred to programmes that would help with his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intellectual learning disability “under the auspices of a suspended sentence.”

Ali, 23, of Clough Hill, Thornhill, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to robbery of a credit balance at the first opportunity.

On Thursday, Judge Graham Reed QC told him: “You took advantage of a passenger on a nearly deserted train. You were persistent and aggressive.”

He sentenced Ali to 58 weeks, suspended for two years, with 40 rehabilitation days and a six-month curfew, from 5pm to 9am.

Read the latest cases from Sheffield Crown Court here.

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