Young thief who stamped on man's head as he tried to steal his iPhone in Milton Keynes shopping centre is spared jail

A thief who stamped on a man's head as he tried to steal his iPhone was spared jail today (Wednesday).

The victim was walking through Milton Keynes shopping centre when teenager Mohammed Ali and an accomplice pursued and cornered him.

The young men beat up the victim in broad daylight and in front of other shoppers.

The victim lost his mobile phone and house keys as he fell to the ground. When he tried to pick them up, Ali forcibly put his head down by stamping on it.

The court heard how the victim suffered years of harassment from Ali, who is now 20, and a group of other young men before he was assaulted.

Sentencing at Aylesbury Crown Court today, Mr Recorder Samuel Rippon told Ali: "The complainant said he suffered some unwanted attention from you over the years.

"He was walking through the shopping centre when he saw you with a group of men and, having had issues with you in the past, he decided to avoid you and went in another direction."

On the day of the attack, the victim had gone to a shopping centre in Milton Keynes, Bucks., to sell his iPhone. He tried to avoid being seen by Ali and his group, but soon realised he was being pursued by Ali and another man and tried to run away.

Mr Recorder Rippon said: "When you caught up to Mr X, the two of you beat him, causing him to fall to the floor. This was done in broad daylight and in front of members of the public.

"The assault had also caused Mr X to lose personal items, including his mobile phone and house keys. As he went to pick them up, you put your foot to the back of his head."

Ali and his accomplice took the phone and house keys and ran. Since the assault was perpetrated in broad daylight, police had already been alerted and quickly arrived on the scene. The thieves were arrested soon after the assault on June 14, 2020.

Ali was subsequently charged with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm and another of theft. He admitted both of those in September 15, 2022.

Ali's defence counsel, Alister King, described the young man as of "good character" with no previous convictions. The judge also had to consider the fact that Ali was only 17 years old at the time he committed the assault.

Ali, of Downs Barn, subsequently received a community order lasting 12 months for his crime and was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

His co-defendant was sentenced on September 15 2022 and received a similar sentence.