A violent thug brutally punched a 60-year-old passenger in the face during a failed robbery attempt at a Birmingham railway station. Lance Hughes followed his elderly victim up stairs at Chester Road Railway Station before trying to steal his bag in the brazen attack.
Disturbing CCTV footage captured Hughes holding the man in a headlock and delivering the vicious punch while two horrified women watched. Hughes was on probation at the time, having only recently been released from prison.
Victim fights back successfully
The brave passenger managed to keep hold of his belongings despite Hughes dragging him towards the stairs and wrestling for the bag. Hughes fled the station empty-handed after the failed robbery attempt in August last year.
Hughes attempted to disguise himself by placing his coat over his head but failed to avoid the CCTV cameras. British Transport Police quickly identified him from the footage and discovered his recent prison release while under probation supervision.
Swift police response
Officers waited outside Hughes' probation office and arrested him as he tried to flee on foot after his appointment. Hughes showed no remorse during his police interview and offered neither apology nor explanation for his actions.
Hughes pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Birmingham Crown Court. The court sentenced him to four years and four months in prison on August 8, along with an order to pay a court surcharge of £228.
Strong deterrent message
Detective Constable Genna Chambers said: "In attempting to rob someone in full view of CCTV cameras while on probation, Hughes acted with a shocking degree of audacity and stupidity, so I'm extremely pleased with the result in this case. In the end, all Hughes benefitted from his attempt is an extended stay in prison. I hope that it provides him ample opportunity to think on his actions, and serves as a warning to anyone who thinks about robbing others on the railway network."
Sources used: "PA Media", "Daily Mail", "Birmingham Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
