Teenager jailed over stolen phone

8:29am Monday 26th February 2007

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A teenager has been jailed for six months after being caught with a mobile phone sim card stolen in a knifepoint robbery.

Barry Barnett, who a court heard has an appalling record of offending, had only been out of prison for a short time when the offence took place.

The 18-year-old was originally charged with the robbery, which took place three days after Christmas, but that was dropped and replaced by a count of handling stolen goods.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said at about 6.30pm on the evening of Thursday, December 28, victim Ashley Stonehall was robbed at knifepoint.

He said the group of men who carried out the attack cycled off on bikes after the attack, which was reported to the police.

Mr Meeke told Swindon Crown Court that the victim had made a note of his mobile phone and sim card's registration numbers.

"CCTV from the area where the robbery took place was viewed and this defendant was seen on it on a bicycle in the area," he said.

Barnett, of Frobisher Drive, Walcot, was known to the police, he said, and they went to his home at 10.20pm and arrested him on suspicion of robbery.

"In his pocket was found to be the sim card that had come from Mr Stonehall's mobile phone. The serial numbers matched."

He was arrested and could give the police no explanation for the sim card being in his pocket.

The court heard he had 28 previous convictions for dishonesty, violence and drugs matters, including a 60-day sentence for assault.

That offence was committed while he was in Ashfield young offenders' institution and ran consecutively to a 10-month detention and training order.

Rob Ross, defending, said his client had been in custody since December 30, meaning he had almost served the equivalent of a four-month sentence.

Having been charged with robbery he said that his client was not picked out in an identity parade, adding his client was a distinctive person.

Jailing him for six months, Judge Douglas Field said to Barnett: "You are a young man and already have an appalling record.

"You have got to reform yourself or you are going to embark on a lifetime of crime and going into institutions.

"Try to lead an honest life or it is downhill all the way."