A street robber who tried to steal from three women at knifepoint and put a 15-year-old victim in a headlock has been jailed.
David Hindson ran at the women with a knife on Willows Lane in Accrington before holding it against one of the victims’ necks shouting ‘give me your phones’, a court heard.
One of the three women, who had all been walking home from a mosque, bravely tried to disarm him and he ran off empty handed.
Burnley Crown Court heard how the 35-year-old had previously robbed a 15-year-old girl in Oswaldtwistle more than a week earlier by pushing her against the wall and grabbing her in a headlock.
Hindson, 35, of Lydia Street, Accrington pleaded guilty to robbery and three counts of attempted robbery and was jailed for four years and seven months.
Craig MacGregor, prosecuting, said in one incident Uzma Ahmed, her sister Mariam Ahmed and their cousin Robina Shaheen were walking home from a talk at a Mosque at around 8.45pm on November 8 last year.
The court heard how when Hindson was ‘about 10ft away’ Uzma Ahmed she saw a ‘silver flash’ as he moved his hand out of his trouser pocket and she realised it ‘was a knife’.
Mr MacGregor said he grabbed her shoulders shouting ‘give me your phones’ and was holding the knife ‘two or three inches from her neck’.
The court heard how Ms Ahmed was dragged to a nearby bus shelter and pushed to the ground before her ‘scared’ cousin then tried to grab the knife by the blade, causing her fingers to be injured.
When the women refused to give him money, jewellery and phones and he fled the area.
Mr MacGregor said Hindson had previously robbed a teenage girl in Oswaldtwistle in October last year as she was waiting outside a friend’s house.
He told the court how Hindson ran at the victim shouting ‘give me your ******* phone’ before pushing her against the wall, getting her into a headlock and then stealing her iPhone.
Hindson was later arrested after Uzma Ahmed spotted him on Willows Lane on November 15 last year and all four victims made positive identifications.
Simon Gurney, defending, said Hindson had problems with drugs and ‘excessive drinking’ and feels ‘deeply shameful’.
He said: “He had no income and no employment. He made a very stupid decision to become involved again in offending of this nature.”
Judge Beverley Lunt said David Hindson is a ‘dangerous man’ and the offences were ‘terrifying’ to all four female victims.
The court heard how, at the time of both incidents, Hindson was on licence from prison for a previous 42-month robbery sentence in 2013.
During that incident he dragged a woman into a side street demanding she hand over her phone and grabbed her by the throat.
He then tried to drag her into a nearby car but she managed to escape.
Judge Lunt said: “I have considered the question of dangerousness.
“Given the nature of these offences, one would automatically say he is a dangerous man who goes round attacking ladies in the streets.
"But that is not the criteria under the Criminal Justice Act.
“You did not cause serious harm. You have caused psychological damage I am sure, but I cannot at this stage say the requirements for dangerousness have been met.
“I have no doubt whatsoever that if you commit any offence like this again in future you will be held to be a dangerous offender and you will be facing a very, very long sentence indeed.
“These are very serious offences that were quite terrifying for all the ladies concerned.”
