Teens’ street robber jailed for knife threat

12:04pm Thursday 28th August 2008

A drunken drug user who claimed he had a knife when he confronted two teenagers in a Keighley street has been jailed for a year.

Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday that one of the terrified youths handed over his mobile phone after they were approached by 22-year-old Matthew Porter in Oakworth Road three months ago.

Prosecutor Judith Naylor said Porter had stolen cans of lager from a Co-op store in Broomhill Avenue 40 minutes before he confronted the teenagers.

Porter demanded the teenagers' phones and threatened to stab his victims.

"He was seen to be fiddling in one of his pockets and the two complainants believed they would be stabbed," said Mrs Naylor.

"One said he feared for his life."

Although Porter did not in fact have a knife the 17-year-old youth handed over his mobile phone.

Porter, of Westroyd Avenue, Shipley, told police after his arrest that he was sorry and admitted: "I get stupid in drink."

He pleaded guilty to charges of theft, robbery and attempted robbery and his lawyer Ray Singh revealed that since the offences in May his client had stopped drinking alcohol and taking drugs.

He said Porter had been disowned by his family at the time and was living in a hostel.

Mr Singh said Porter's life had changed substantially since the offences and he was now reconciled with his family.

The Honorary Recorder of Bradford Judge Stephen Gullick said giving the impression that he had a knife was an extremely serious matter and not surprisingly the two complainants were frightened out of their wits.

He accepted it was an opportunistic offence but said it had to be dealt with by a sentence of custody.

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