A heroin addict tried to rob a disabled man as a police car was passing and then ran into a newsagent and attempted to rob the shopkeeper inside, a court heard.
Now bungling robber Gavin Robert Kendell has been jailed.
He approached his first victim around 10.25am on November 13 as he was walking in Huddersfield Road, Mirfield.
Brian Outhwaite prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court the victim, a retired man was obviously infirm because he was using a walking stick.
He suffered from chronic lung disease and was waiting for a bus when Kendell told him: “You look like you are dying.”
His victim replied: “I am dying.” It was then that Kendell told him to hand over his money and he realised he was not joking and told him to get away.
Kendell, 33, then told him: “If you don’t give me your money I will punch you.”
Mr Outhwaite said the man tried to fend Kendell off with his walking stick and they were grappling when a police car drove past.
The officer seeing what was happening sounded his horn and Kendell then abandoned his target and ran into nearby Mirfield News.
The owner Omar Khan had seen the incident outside and he was then approached by Kendell who grabbed him in a headlock saying: “Give me your money.”
Mr Khan managed to fend him off and Kendell then repeated “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” several times before he left the premises.
The shopkeeper went outside where officers were dealing with the first victim and pointed out Kendell as also have tried to rob him.
READ MORE: Shopkeeper says "I tried to give him one of my best left hooks"
He was arrested and taken to the police station where he frankly admitted he was a heroin addict and was desperate for money to buy the drug.
Anastasis Tassou representing Kendell said his greatest mitigation was his frankness with the police and immediate guilty plea.
“He is at a loss to explain why he committed these offences in broad daylight in a busy area while a police car was passing by but it gives some indication of what was going through his mind at the time, which was that he had a very disturbed way of thinking.”
Kendell, of Green Terrace, Mirfield admitted both attempted robberies and was jailed for 32 months.
The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said he had a bad record prior before he attacked the latest two people one of them an elderly man who was disabled.
“He was selected by you and you went for him in a determined manner.”
