Gang's getaway driver jailed

Drug user Craig Lidbetter, 16, of Peveril Close, was sentenced at Chichester Crown Crown after pleading guilty to two robberies, one attempted robbery and asking for three other robberies to be taken into consideration.

The court heard that Lidbetter and three others gang members '“ who have never been charged '“ drove around Shoreham, Hove and Worthing, looking for foreign students to rob.

Anyone who was wearing a rucksack and who looked vulnerable were approached by the gang, who threatened them, sometimes punching, kicking and slapping them, before robbing them of cash, mobile phones and MP3 players and other valuables.

They carried out the robberies from May to August last year.

Alarmed by the high number of robberies, Adur police launched Operation Kimono and when a witness managed to get the registration number of the getaway car and it was caught by a speed camera, officers traced the car to Lidbetter.

Sentencing Lidbetter, Judge Anthony Thorpe, who lifted reporting restrictions, told him: "The public need protection from violent offenders and courts have a duty to protect them from street robberies and they can only do so by passing appropriate sentences to make it clear that such crimes will not be tolerated.

"The reports indicate that you have a history of substance and drug abuse, including cannabis, glue and lighter fuel, and that clearly is the root cause of your offending. You do pose a continuing danger to the public and will continue to do so until you stop taking illegal substances. You are starting to put together a bad record already, for someone so young, and are clearly a persistent young offender."

Following the case, DC Steve Edwards said: "We are pleased with the result, which shows we take positive action on street robberies. The sentence sends out a message that this behaviour will not be tolerated."