05-13-2006, 01:10 AM
A TEENAGER who assaulted students and raided their flat before calmly phoning for a taxi on a stolen mobile has been detained for 30 months.
Nicholas Wynne, 17, targeted youths and tourists in a string of robberies across Edinburgh, usually during broad daylight in busy streets.
A background report presented to Edinburgh Sheriff Court said he showed no sympathy for his victims.
Wynne had pleaded guilty to ten charges earlier this week, two of which were committed while on probation.
Outlining the case, prosecutor Dev Kapadia said that on 8 February at about 8:30pm, Wynne and other friends were in the common stair outside a student flat in Bread Street. Jonathon Cilensu opened his door to investigate the noise and the group asked if they could use a toilet. Wynne became aggressive and, going into the bedroom of Shaun Gray, who was asleep, woke him up. He told the students: "We lied to you, we are going to rob you now." He took £20 from Mr Gray's wallet and then restrained him on his bed while his friend stole a MP3 player and a digital camera.
He then dragged Mr Gray to another room, punched and kicked him while the friend stole an iPod, £20 and a laptop computer. Wynne took a mobile phone and called for a taxi to carry away the pile of items.
In a separate incident at 2:30pm on 4 July last year, Wynne and a friend asked a tourist, Shane O'Neill, 24, for a cigarette in King's Stables Road. Mr O'Neill handed over a cigarette and then walked away, taking a photograph of Wynne as he suspected trouble. Wynne followed him, grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground. He repeatedly kicked and punched him on the head and body and ordered him to hand over his camera.
Even after Mr O'Neill did so, Wynne continued to punch and kick him before running away. Mr O'Neill suffered a fractured cheek bone, swelling around his eyes and blurred vision.
The recent spate of attacks started last 9 May, when Wynne stopped a 15-year-old boy and Andrew Cooper, 16, in Craiglockhart Gardens and asked for 30p. He then robbed them of their mobile phones, one worth £260. Three days later at 6pm, he followed James Baker, 24, into a tenement building in Montpelier Park where he pushed him against a wall, grabbed him by the throat, hit him on the head and, saying he had a knife, robbed him of £5 and a bank card. The following day, he assaulted a 15-year-old boy at 2pm in Morningside Drive as he walked home from school. He threatened him with violence and robbed him of £10. That same afternoon he snatched an iPod and £45 from a terrified 14-year-old boy.
A number of other attacks were also outlined to the court.
Defence agent Elaine Crawford said that Wynne suffered from a form of autism which meant he had difficulty understanding the feelings of others and lacked social skills.
The sheriff ordered Wynne to be placed in detention for 30 months with a 12-month supervised release order.
From The Scotsman.
Nicholas Wynne, 17, targeted youths and tourists in a string of robberies across Edinburgh, usually during broad daylight in busy streets.
A background report presented to Edinburgh Sheriff Court said he showed no sympathy for his victims.
Wynne had pleaded guilty to ten charges earlier this week, two of which were committed while on probation.
Outlining the case, prosecutor Dev Kapadia said that on 8 February at about 8:30pm, Wynne and other friends were in the common stair outside a student flat in Bread Street. Jonathon Cilensu opened his door to investigate the noise and the group asked if they could use a toilet. Wynne became aggressive and, going into the bedroom of Shaun Gray, who was asleep, woke him up. He told the students: "We lied to you, we are going to rob you now." He took £20 from Mr Gray's wallet and then restrained him on his bed while his friend stole a MP3 player and a digital camera.
He then dragged Mr Gray to another room, punched and kicked him while the friend stole an iPod, £20 and a laptop computer. Wynne took a mobile phone and called for a taxi to carry away the pile of items.
In a separate incident at 2:30pm on 4 July last year, Wynne and a friend asked a tourist, Shane O'Neill, 24, for a cigarette in King's Stables Road. Mr O'Neill handed over a cigarette and then walked away, taking a photograph of Wynne as he suspected trouble. Wynne followed him, grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground. He repeatedly kicked and punched him on the head and body and ordered him to hand over his camera.
Even after Mr O'Neill did so, Wynne continued to punch and kick him before running away. Mr O'Neill suffered a fractured cheek bone, swelling around his eyes and blurred vision.
The recent spate of attacks started last 9 May, when Wynne stopped a 15-year-old boy and Andrew Cooper, 16, in Craiglockhart Gardens and asked for 30p. He then robbed them of their mobile phones, one worth £260. Three days later at 6pm, he followed James Baker, 24, into a tenement building in Montpelier Park where he pushed him against a wall, grabbed him by the throat, hit him on the head and, saying he had a knife, robbed him of £5 and a bank card. The following day, he assaulted a 15-year-old boy at 2pm in Morningside Drive as he walked home from school. He threatened him with violence and robbed him of £10. That same afternoon he snatched an iPod and £45 from a terrified 14-year-old boy.
A number of other attacks were also outlined to the court.
Defence agent Elaine Crawford said that Wynne suffered from a form of autism which meant he had difficulty understanding the feelings of others and lacked social skills.
The sheriff ordered Wynne to be placed in detention for 30 months with a 12-month supervised release order.
From The Scotsman.