Two men who stabbed members of the public as they tried to steal mobile phones in central London are both jailed for 12 years as judge condemns ‘mindless violence and utter lawlessness’
- Tyrone Dean, 24, and Louis Parkinson, 26, wore masks as they cycled in London
- Pair injured four people with a knife as they attempted to steal mobile phones
Two men have been jailed for 12 years each after a daytime robbery and knife attack in central London left some members of the public with ‘savage injuries’.
Tyrone Dean, 24, and Louis Parkinson, 26, were wearing masks as they cycled around central London on bicycles on October 6 last year, looking for victims in a bid to snatch mobile phones.
Their plans were thwarted when passers-by stepped in to attempt to help, but the pair used knives and their fists to attack them, injuring four people who tried to stop them from fleeing the scene.
The knife was first carried by Dean, who then passed it to Parkinson, Inner London Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Sam Barker, who said the pair had embarked on a ‘brazen spree’ of theft, told the court: ‘When civic-minded members of the public sought to apprehend them, the defendants caused them savage injuries with a knife in their frantic attempts to escape.’
CCTV footage showed Dean and Parkinson cycling from Fitzrovia to the Regent Street area that morning ‘because they were looking for people to rob of valuable items’, the prosecution told the court.
Tyrone Dean, 24, and Louise Parkinson, 26, were wearing masks as they cycled around central London on bicycles on October 6 last year, looking for victims in a bid to snatch mobile phones (Pictured – The scene in Bishopsgate)
Paul Grange was one of the victims robbed of his phone in Fitzrovia shortly after 9am, while Nicholas Badger had his stolen in Bishopsgate around 45 minutes later.
The court heard that Mr Grange and another victim, Alison Sanders, were each stabbed in the arm by Dean.
Dean also stabbed self-employed courier Vladimiros Konstantinidis twice in the chest and once in the back, causing his lung to collapse.
Another man, Henry Charlton-Weedy, was left needing 52 stiches having been slashed in the face. He has been left with a severe scar from the top of his cheekbone to his mouth.
Ms Sanders, William Allison and Mr Konstantinidis, made up a ‘brave’ group who became involved in a melee during the second incident as they tried to catch the thieves.
When Parkinson appeared to be overpowered, Dean produced the knife and could be seen in footage brandishing it in his hand as he ran towards the group fighting Parkinson.
‘The group broke up as the fight became more ferocious, and Mr Dean swung the knife’, Mr Barker said. ‘Mr Allison was knocked to the ground by Mr Parkinson, and Mr Konsantinidis and Mr Parkinson began to grapple.
CCTV footage showed Dean and Parkinson cycling from Fitzrovia to the Regent Street area that morning ‘because they were looking for people to rob of valuable items’, the prosecution told the court (Pictured – The scene in Bishopsgate)
‘Mr Dean then sought to return to his bicycle, pursued by Alison Sanders. As she single-handedly sought to stop him escaping, Ms Sanders was stabbed by Mr Dean in the arm.’
Mr Konstantinidis told the court he had to resort to spend some of his savings, which he had earmarked for his wedding, when he was forced to take six weeks off work due to his injuries.
In his victim impact statement, he said: ‘I cannot believe that this has happened to me and so many lives have been changed over a mobile phone, including the suspects who have changed their futures.
‘This was a frenzied attack with no control or calculation which could have left me blind or worse dead.’
In her victim statement, Ms Sanders, who needed surgery for her injuries, told the court that her recovery was expected to take two years and that she would only have 80 per cent function in her right hand.
Inner London Crown Court heard that the pair had embarked on a ‘brazen spree’ of theft on October 6 last year
‘I will never be the same as I was before the incident and that is due to the defendants’, she said.
‘I used to play piano regularly in church. I enjoyed it and it meant a lot to me. It’s hard to think I may never be able to play the piano in the way I used to.’
Dean, of Willow Walk, Haringey, north London, admitted robbery, possession of a knife, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, theft, two counts of wounding, attempting to wound, and possession of cannabis.
Parkinson, of Catherall Street, Highbury, north London, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of a knife, attempting to wound, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and possession of cannabis.
Judge Benedict Kelleher told Dean and Parkinson: ‘You acted with appalling violence.
‘The incident caused widespread concern and national media coverage. It was a truly shocking example of mindless violence and utter lawlessness.’
The pair were each sentenced to 12 years in prison, and have offered their apologies for the stabbings.
They will have to serve at least two-thirds of their jail sentences, and an extra five years on licence once released.
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