Jailed: Armed street robber from Rugby who held knife to woman's stomach after she punched him during attempted robbery

He then pinned her to the ground and tried to get her mobile phone from her but he fled empty handed.

This was one of two attacks carried out by Dillon Moulsher, who has been jailed for six years and five months in prison after pleading guilty to robbery and attempted robbery.

On both occasions, the 19-year-old robber followed his victims before threatening them with a knife.

In the first attack, at just after 11pm on Tuesday January 2, police received a report that a man had been threatened with a knife on Marlborough Road in Nuneaton, leading to him handing over his bank card.

This car was later used at a nearby service station on Central Avenue.

CCTV showed that Moulsher had followed the victim through the town centre, beginning at the George Eliot statue.

It then showed Moulsher walking towards where the stolen card had been used as payment – later investigation showed that Moulsher had also attempted to pay for a taxi to Coventry, but the transaction had failed and he had been dropped on Croft Road in Nuneaton.

In the second attack, at around 2.20am on Wednesday January 3, police responded to a report that a man had tried to take a phone from a woman outside a motoring and cycling shop on Corporation Street in Nuneaton.

The man, later identified as Moulsher, demanded that the woman hand over her phone – when she refused, Moulsher withdrew a medium-sized kitchen knife.

The victim punched Moulsher in the jaw and attempted to run away.

Moulsher tackled the woman to the ground, held a knife to her stomach, and attempted again to take her phone but was unsuccessful.

Fortunately, no injuries were caused during the altercation.

Again, this was captured on CCTV.

Moulsher, from Newlands Street in Rugby, appeared in Warwick Crown Court on August 20.

As well as pleading guilty to robbery and attempted robbery, Moulsher also pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and two counts of possession of a knife in a public place, as well as admitting three breaches of bail conditions.

He will be required to pay a victims’ surcharge of £228.

DI Paul Sartoris said “Moulsher picked out his victims from a distance and followed them, with full intention to intimidate them and take their valuables.

“He did it brazenly, in public, and targeted people at night when they were at their most vulnerable. Our thoughts are with his victims, who have the right to feel safe when walking through the streets at night.

“Prison is the right place for Moulsher. We hope that his stay gives him the time to reconsider the path his life is taking – you’re never too old to make a change, especially not at 19.”

Anyone with information about a crime can contact Warwickshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.