An 18-year-old Croydon man was jailed yesterday for almost three years after he was convicted of a violent robbery against two 15-year-old boys last October.
Gerome Ijoyah of Miller Road, was found guilty of robbery at Croydon Crown Court yesterday.
He was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for the offence and a further four months imprisonment for breach of a suspended sentence.
Detective Constable Hayley Rodgers, Croydon CID, said: “This was a violent robbery where Ijoyah assaulted one of the victims and stole an expensive mountain bike.
“Ijoyah denied being responsible, but from the evidence we gathered, the jury were convinced that he was behind it.”
The two teenage victims, who were both on bicycles, were approached by the suspect, who was also riding a bicycle.
On demanding, and failing, to take one of the victim’s bikes, Iyojah turned to violence, punching the other victim several times in the face.
Unable to prise the bike from the second victim, the suspect turned his attention back to the first victim, stealing his £400 mountain bike.
Two other youths who were said to have been with the suspect, although not involved in the robbery, picked up the suspect’s bike and also left the scene.
Police spoke to the victims who told officers that they had seen who they thought was the suspect entering an address in nearby Southbridge Road.
After further enquiries police discovered that Ijoyah had been there that night with a bike.
Ijoyah was arrested on November 14 and subsequently charged with robbery, although the stolen bike has never been recovered.
Det. Const. Rodgers emphasised the importance of reporting robberies to the police as soon as possible to ensure the best chance of solving them.
