A TEENAGER accused of robbing two men on the same night in York told a jury on Tuesday that although he was present he had not assaulted or stolen from either victim.

The 17-year-old is one of two youths who denies attacking and robbing John Card in Bootham and Mark Bonner on the riverside near Lendal Bridge in the early hours of July 18 last year.

He is on trial at York Crown Court sitting in Leeds.

A third man, Joseph Edeson, 28, has already admitted both robberies. The prosecution claim all three were involved.

Mr Card, who has cerebral palsy was left, bleeding in the street with a fracture to the bone around his eye and his wallet stolen while Mr Bonner suffered cuts and bruises and had his phone and wallet taken.

The teenager, who was 16 at the time, and cannot be identified, said he and his friend, the co-accused, had been to a party and were walking in Bootham towards the centre of York when Mr Edeson known as “Joeboy” shouted at them from behind.

They waited for him to catch up with them and walked together and it was then they saw Mr Card approaching.

He told the jury “Joe stepped forward and punched him.” He told his counsel Christopher Dunn that came as a complete shock and he said there had been no indication he was going to do that.

“After the man fell on the floor I seen Joeboy take something from his pocket then he like started to jog up the street away from us.”

“I looked down at the man, it didn’t look as though he was breathing, it didn’t look as though his eyes were open. There was blood gushing from everywhere, his nose, ears, mouth and I turned him into the recovery position.”

He said he did not know if the man was unconscious but he was motionless and not speaking.”

He and his friend also walked away but further down they were called over by Mr Edeson who gave him a wallet and told him to put it in his back pack. He said his friend took items out of it and began throwing them over a small wall nearby.

He said he went along with Mr Edeson down Marygate towards the river because “I didn’t want to happen to me what had happened to the other man.”

As they were walking towards Lendal Bridge they saw Mr Bonner approaching. “Joeboy basically did the same thing and we didn’t have nothing to do with it.”

He said he saw him fighting with Mr Bonner and walked on. When he caught up with them Mr Edeson gave him a phone to put in the back pack and he did because he did not feel he had any other choice. “He is an idiot, bad news.”

He denied under cross-examination by Laura Addy prosecuting that he was only now saying he had put Mr Card in the recovery position to explain how blood had got on him and his watch.

She suggested the three had acted as a group in both attacks. “That’s not true, no,” replied the defendant. 

The trial continues.

DAY 1 REPORT

A MAN with celebral palsy was attacked and robbed as he walked home from from a night out in the centre of York, a jury was told.

Part of a video of John Card’s evidence in chief was played on Monday at the start of a trial of two teenagers accused of robbing him and robbing another man in a separate offence on the same night.

Mr Card, 27, said he had been drinking earlier and was distracted having just made a call on his mobile phone when he saw two or three figures approaching him in Bootham in the early hours of July 18 last year.

“One of them suddenly jumped right in front of me and drew his fist back and smacked me on the side of my cheek.”

He said there was a scuffle and he tried to pull away but was then spun round and hit again. He described having his eyes closed and being restrained as he was punched two to three times.

“Then I got pushed to the ground in this alleyway. I was next to a bollard between two brick walls and I landed on my back and banged my head.”

He said he saw the figures moving away and did not remember any conversation from them.

Laura Addy, opening the case for the prosecution at York Crown Court sitting in Leeds, told the jury Mr Card was left bleeding and in shock with a fracture to the area around his left eye after the attack in Bootham.

His wallet was stolen and the contents were subsequently found scattered along Marygate.

Witnesses went to the assistance of Mr Card and the police were contacted and were making inquiries when the second attack happened.

She said Mark Bonner had been celebrating at a friend’s leaving do from work and had crossed Lendal Bridge with others before he took the path down to the river alone.

He saw three figures approaching him and remembered feeling anxious and nervous. Miss Addy said they walked directly up to him and one punched him in the face. There were other punches before he fell to the ground unconscious.

He did not know how long he had blacked out but when he woke up his wallet and phone were gone.

The two on trial, both 17 and from York, cannot be identified. They each deny both robberies.

The jury was told a third man, Joseph Edeson is not in the dock because he has already admitted both charges.

Miss Addy told the jury the two teenagers were stopped in Blake Street after CCTV footage was checked. One had a back pack inside which was found Mr Card’s wallet and Mr Bonner’s phone. Both teenager’s had blood on their clothing which was found to be Mr Card’s.

The rest of Mr Card’s evidence will be played when the trial continues on Tuesday.