Two callous drug addicts who stole a vulnerable pensioner's wallet after he bought one of them a cup of tea have been jailed for almost four years. The pair had 439 previous convictions between them and had served jail sentences before, Hull Crown Court heard.
Michael Batley, 44, and Wayne Mason, 37, both admitted robbing the 77-year-old man outside a McDonald's in Hull city centre, Hull Live reported. The pair had joined him at his table and spotted his wallet full of notes. The pensioner agreed to buy Mason a cup of tea.
But when he left the restaurant, they followed him and grabbed his wallet, before running off, Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, told the court. The victim was grabbed and heard one of the men say: "Get the wallet and then let's get out of here." The pensioner was scared and heard: "I have got the wallet."
A witness heard a commotion and saw the two robbers wrestling with the pensioner. "They were shouting at him, reaching into his pockets and ordering him to hold still," said Miss Baines. "He looked extremely distressed and could not move as the defendants were overpowering him."
The witness saw Batley reach into the pensioner's right pocket and grab his wallet before running off. He confronted Mason, who made disparaging remarks that the victim "deserved all he got". Mason became abusive and threatening before running in the same direction as Batley.
"There was force being used on him by two defendants here," said Miss Baines. "This victim was targeted due to his vulnerability. There is an element of premeditation here. Mason had seen the wallet with the bank notes within it."
Some younger men ran after the robbers and found them sharing the spoils of their robbery. When confronted, Mason became angry and aggressive and threw some money at their pursuers. Both were arrested later in the day.
Miss Baines told the court the 77-year-old victim had been living independently up until June, with the support of carers visiting daily, but he was now in a care home. He had "impaired cognition and memory" now. Batley had convictions for 350 previous offences and Mason 89, with both of them having served jail sentences for robbery.
Nigel Clive, for Batley, said he had a "horrendous" criminal record, but added: "There are only five of those offences that have any degree of violence aimed at anybody else. His life has been blighted by drugs. He gets sent to prison routinely. "
Of the robbery, Mr Clive added: "It's an offence that was desperately mean and the defendant understands that."
Richard Thompson, for Mason, said he had a Class A drug habit, but not been before a court between 2018 and last year. "That was something of an achievement for him. He has been living a very difficult standard of life in recent years. He did not have any money. On the spur of the moment, he saw this as an opportunity."
Minimal physical force was used and the contact between the robbers and the victim was only about 10 seconds. "He was being held while his wallet was being taken," said Mr Thompson.
Recorder Ashley Serr told Batley and Mason: "Your victim was a man of advancing years and he was not in very good health." He added they had repaid the man's kindness by targeting him because he was "weak, vulnerable and easy prey".
Batley and Mason were each jailed for three years and seven months.
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