I-phone thief locked-up for five months

Richard Horsfield, 26, of Sherwin Walk, Retford, admitted theft from Luke Hewgill.

Nottingham Crown Court heard it happened about 5.30am on 3rd July near the Market Square.

The victim had left a pub in the early hours and was walking to a friend’s flat, said Mark Knowles, prosecuting.

Horsfield grabbed his phone and ran off.

Mr Hewgill chased him for a short distance but did not take up Horsfield’s offer to fight him for the phone. In mitigation it was said Horsfield, a painter and decorator, had a drink problem and accepted he had been ‘stupid’.

Judge Jeremy Lea told him: “You are fortunate it was not a proper robbery or the sentence would have been in years not months.”

Horsfield, who was in breach of an earlier conditional discharge, was jailed for five months.