A serial criminal has been jailed after deliberately driving a car at a cyclist – before his passenger stole and rode off on the £4,000 bike.
Robert Friendship Smith and his accomplice targeted the victim who was riding an electric bike in the Roker Avenue area of Sunderland back in May. As the victim cycled down an alley, Smith, 25, pulled out and crashed a white Vauxhall Insignia into the bike.
Smith and his front-seat passenger then jumped out of the car and threatened the cyclist, with the victim warned they were in possession of a machete. Fearing for his life, the victim let go of the bike – with the latter riding off on it before Smith drove away in the Vauxhall.
