Man armed with screwdriver found guilty over Telford robberies

Jonathon Benbow, 33, was part of a gang that targeted people in Telford late at night on December 16 last year to steal valuables from unsuspecting passers-by using the weapons.

Benbow was found guilty of an offence of robbery and one offence of attempted robbery in a majority verdict. But he was found not guilty of common assault following a trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Co-defendant Ishmail Mahmood, 19, of Leegomery, Telford, was acquitted of the robbery offences by the jury which believed his story that he took no part in the robberies themselves.

They had been travelling in the car driven by Benbow with two other men, Andrew Benbow and Kyle Booth, who admitted the robbery offences at a previous hearing.

After driving around Telford in Jonathon Benbow’s black car, the four parked up, in Mill Bank in Wellington, at about 10.30pm. As victims Alex Green and Cameron Foster, on their way home from the town centre, passed them Andrew Benbow asked them for directions to Red Lake.

Mahmood recognised Mr Green, whom he claimed had previously called him racist names, and got out of the car to punch him, the court heard. At the same time Booth and Andrew Benbow got out and attacked Mr Foster and took his mobile phone and cash, and drove off.

Later that night at about 1am the car stopped in another Telford street when Benjamin O’Carroll and his girlfriend Kirsty Whitehouse passed by. Again Andrew Benbow asked for directions, and the group tried to take Mr O’Carroll’s phone but were unsuccessful.

In total the group stole a phone, a disposable lighter and £300 in cash before "spending their spoils" on scratch cards and booze at Trench Lock 24/7 Garage, in Hadley.

Police later found the car at the garage and arrested Benbow and Mahmood at about 1.20am on December 17 after Miss Whitehouse phoned them to report the incident. Officers raced to the scene and the pair's dramatic capture was caught on CCTV and shown to the court.

Booth and Andrew Benbow, were arrested nearby shortly afterwards.

Following the trial, Mahmood, of Hurleybrook Way, Leegomery, was fined £250 for assaulting Mr Green which he had admitted at an earlier hearing. In his evidence Mahmood told the court that he was unaware of any plan to rob anyone and attacked Mr Green on a whim.

Jonathon Benbow, of Newcastle-under Lyme, in Staffordshire, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced along with his half-brother Andrew Benbow and Kyle Booth, both of Hurleybrook Way, on June 22.

Judge Anthony Lowe thanked the jury for its efforts.