A KNIFE was held to a man’s throat after he was thrown to the ground as he walked home in a terrifying robbery.

The victim was attacked while walking to the Penine Flats in Queensway, Southend, where one of the group demanded money before robbing him of his phone at knifepoint.

However, the victim managed to lead the police to the crooks through the Find My iPhone app.

Basildon Crown Court heard that Jason Wynne, Scott Breakwell and Rickie Kerry were in the Queensway area on November 25 at 11pm when the victim walked past.

One of the men asked the victim if he had any “roach” to which he replied no and continued walking.

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The group then chased after him, with Breakwell grabbing him from behind and the other two joining in, pulling the man to the ground where he was attacked further –which was caught on CCTV.

Wynne then drew a knife, holding it at the man’s throat and demanded he hand over his money. When the victim said he didn’t have any, Wynne stole his phone and PIN number.

Echo:

Scott Breakwell

The man left, but on his walk to the flats met the trio again, where they said “you’re not going to do anything stupid are you?”

Once home, the victim called the police and activated the tracking software.

This led police to York Road where the three men were found, with the phone close by.

Wynne, 35, of Station Street, Saffron Walden, was found with the knife and a sock full of rocks, and went on to admit possession of offensive weapons and robbery.

Breakwell, 31, of Sutton Road, Southend, and Kerry, 27, of Great Ranton, Basildon, admitted causing actual bodily harm.

Echo:

Rickie Kerry

Mitigating for Wynne, Mike Warren said: “He gravitated back to Southend without formal approval of probation. He started to take medication that was not his own.

“He was in a very bad state of mind taking drugs and alcohol. He’s very sorry for the harm he has caused the victim here.”

Mr Warren said Wynne had feared an attack from someone else that night and was “pent up”, and the victim “was in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

Judge Samantha Leigh jailed Wynne for three years and five months, while Breakwell and Kerry received one year. Due to time served, the latter two were released.