Man Jailed Six Years for Series of Violent Street Robberies

Marius Mihai has been sentenced to six years in prison for a series of violent street robberies. Mihai targeted six individuals in Leeds over a six-week period, with one victim sustaining a fractured cheekbone before his phone and wallet were stolen. The 19-year-old, residing at Savile Place, Chapeltown, Leeds, received his sentence on Wednesday at the city’s crown court. This followed his guilty plea to six counts of robbery and one charge of fraud. Detective Inspector Vicky Vessey stated that Mihai employed an “appalling level of violence” that resulted in a “lasting traumatic impact” on those he victimized. West Yorkshire Police reported that Mihai specifically targeted lone male individuals during nights out in the city centre, committing six robberies between 27 May and 8 July. In one incident, Mihai assaulted a 53-year-old man on Merrion Street, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly punching him before taking his watch, phone, and leather jacket. Eight days subsequent to this, a 39-year-old man suffered missing teeth after being punched from behind and falling to the ground on Fish Street. Det Insp Vessey commented: “Mihai was responsible for a particularly nasty series of offences where an appalling level of violence was used to render his victims helpless before he stripped them of their valuables.” She added, “While some of the victims received serious injuries from being punched about the head, his actions could easily have had far worse consequences.” Concluding, she stated, “We do not underestimate the lasting traumatic impact these incidents will have had on the victims, and we hope they can take some comfort from knowing that he has been caught and taken off the streets.”