Released prisoner attacked man in Wakefield to steal his £675 gold chain

Billy Cameron threw around eight punches at the victim before stealing the £675 gold chain from him.

It happened as they were stood outside the hostel for former inmates on Westgate.

Prosecutor Martin Robertshaw told Leeds Crown Court said on the evening of March 8 last year, at around 10.20pm, the victim had been stood in the smoking shelter outside the building on his own.

He was then approached by 21-year-old Cameron and other men.

The court was told that Cameron and the victim had no previous trouble.

Without provocation, Cameron then attacked the man, punching him to the head and to the ribs, before pulling the chain from his neck.

He then demanded the matching bracelet that the victim had bought as a set, which the defendant did not have on him.

Cameron then told him: "Tell the staff and I will stab you."

The victim suffered a chipped tooth and bruising to his face and ribs and blurred vision.

Cameron, of no fixed address, was arrested and questioned later in the month and denied he was responsible before offering only 'no comment' answers.

He admitted a charge of robbery in court.

Cameron has convictions for ABH, wounding and burglaries.

Mitigating, Clare Walsh said that Cameron had endured a difficult childhood, having being in foster care and had never had much support.

But now with a new-born baby she said: "It has to be his motivation to change his life around.

"He wants his baby to have a better start in life than he had."

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC jailed him for 29 months and said: "You have got a really bad record.

"You decided you wanted that gold chain and you beat him up outside the hostel. It was a deeply unattractive set of factors.

"You made threats to keep him from making complaints."