Mobile phone robber jailed (From York Press)

Mobile phone robber Paul O’Donnell is jailed

9:05am Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

A Selby man has been jailed after robbing someone he knew in an argument over money.

Paul Francis O’Donnell was yesterday sentenced at York Crown Court to 15 months behind bars.

The 30-year-old from Abbotts Road, Selby, denied a charge of robbery, but was convicted by a York jury last month.

Recorder David Bradshaw told him: “Robbery is always a serious offence. In this case, having heard the evidence, I am satisfied there was an assault using your fists upon this victim and you removed property from him.”

O’Donnell was remanded in custody after his trial and conviction.

He was convicted of stealing a mobile phone and cash from the victim.

Pleading for him to receive a suspended sentence, Anthony Moore yesterday said the 16 days already spent behind bars had had a “great effect” on O’Donnell.

“This is something of an unusual case when considered in regard to robbery in general. The parties knew each other.”

Mr Moore said O’Donnell and the victim had socialised together on occasions.

There had, said the barrister, “obviously been some transaction between them” in the lead-up to the robbery.

He said O’Donnell had behaved out of character and was not a risk to the general public.

However, the judge said O’Donnell had a previous conviction for assault and had received a suspended sentence in 2009.