A one-time promising rugby player armed with a knife targeted a man who had just withdrawn money from a cash machine. Brandon Brock was part of a gang of youngsters who approached the man in the street before trying to snatch the money and throwing punches and dragging his victim to the ground. The 19-year-old then produced a knife before assaulting a Good Samaritan who intervened in the attempted robbery and assaulting a police officer who was arresting him.
Swansea Crown Court heard the teenager had been a promising young rugby player before turning to crime after his father came into his life and when the judge said it was clear from a letter he had read that the defendant's grandmother loved him deeply Brock began to cry in the dock. Sian Cutter, prosecuting, said the incident took place in Woodfield Street in Morriston on the evening of September 30 this year. The victim – a man in his 50s – had just withdrawn £200 from an ATM when he was approached by a group of male and females youths.
Brock told the man to: "Give me your green" before grabbing him and trying to punch him. The man with the cash refused to let go of his money and punched his teenage assailant in the face causing his lip to bleed. A scuffle then ensured with Brock swinging the victim around by the jacket and taking him to the floor while continuing to throw punches and trying to get the cash.
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The court heard that at this point a passing driver stopped and ran to help the man being assaulted. Brock responded by turning his attention to the Good Samaritan, saying: "Do you want some as well?" before swinging punches and producing a knife from the waistband of his trousers. The victim of the attempted robbery was able to escape and the Good Samaritan retreated to his car. Read about a taxi driver who cannot remember his own granddaughter after being knocked out by a drunken passenger.
The prosecutor said police were soon on the scene and the Good Samaritan, who had driven around the block and returned to the area, was able to point out the defendant to officers. Brock, who was described as being "clearly intoxicated and unsteady on his feet", was arrested and searched and a knife was recovered. The court heard he then began to resist officers and while being put into the cage in the back of a police van pushed backwards and effectively headbutted a female officer in the face with the back of his head causing her a "fairly substantial lump on her forehead".
Brandon Brock, of Maes yr Onnen, Cwmrhydyceirw, Swansea, admitted attempted robbery, possession of a bladed article, common assault, and assaulting an emergency worker. He has nine previous convictions for 20 offences including possession of a bladed article and offences of dishonesty.
Andrew Evans, for Brock, said the defendant had experienced a "complex and complicated childhood". He said the defendant had been a promising rugby player – one he himself had seen in action on the pitch – who had been largely brought up by his grandmother and, until two years ago, had never troubled the criminal justice system. But the advocate said in 2020 the teenager's father – "a man well-known to the court" – came into his life and that contact with his dad "was potentially only going to result in him behaving in one way". Mr Evans said on the day in question Brock had consumed alcohol and a quantity of medication which led to him behaving in the way he had but he said with the support of his grandmother and his long-term partner the defendant wanted to live a positive life and possibly find work in his uncle's scaffolding business.
Juge Paul Thomas KC said he had no doubt Brock had targeted his victim after seeing him using a cash machine but he said the man with the money had proved rather "feisty" and had fought back. The judge said it was clear from everything he had read about the defendant that he had been a promising rugby player and had the potential to lead a positive life and he said it was obvious from a letter written to the court by the teenager's grandmother that he is "loved deeply by her". At that point the defendant in the dock began to cry.
With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Brock was sentenced to a total of two years and four months detention in a young offenders' institution. He will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The judge praised the public-spiritedness of the driver who had stopped to help the man being robbed.
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