A teenage boy went on a wild ride of crime over a four-month period comprising a robbery, an attempted street mugging, stealing a bicycle and handling stolen goods – all separate incidents.

Prior to the first offence committed last January, the 17-year old boy had no criminal record.

His first offence was purchasing a Blackberry smartphone he knew was stolen, which he immediately confessed to and co-operated with the police who were investigating the original robbery on Shedden Road, George Town.

He was arrested, charged and bailed but on March 23^rd he stole a woman’s handbag. The woman was sitting in a Jeep Wrangler, which had open sides. As she was driving out of a car park in Dr. Roy’s Drive, George Town the teenager grabbed her bag with such force he pulled her out of the moving car. The vehicle crashed into a wall as she threw the bag at mugger.

He was arrested reasonably quickly as not only did he leave his sunglasses at the scene he was wearing an electronic tag. He again admitted the offence.

The teen was given bail again and he then stole an unattended and unlocked bicycle outside the Brasserie Restaurant off Elgin Avenue. Riding the stolen bike he tried to mug another woman of her handbag as she headed to work at the Chrissie Tomlinson Hospital.

As he grabbed the bag the woman held onto it and in so doing the teen fell off the bike dragging the victim with him onto the ground.

A man happened to be driving by at the time, saw what was happening and came to the woman’s rescue including apprehending the teen.

The 17 year old admitted to both crimes.

Justice Charles Quin was lenient when he sentenced the boy on Tuesday (3) to spend only 14 months behind bars.

Judge Quin had taken into consideration that the teen had co-operated with the police, had admitted all his criminal deeds and had a history of neglect from his parents. One of them was serving a prison sentence in HMP Northward for a cocaine offence.

The judge said the “complete absence of parental involvement in his upbringing” had had a direct detrimental impact on the teen. He had been “tossed around from institution to institution”.

It was a very sad case the judge said. The boy had no love for his parents but he was still young. He hoped the punishment would bring his criminal activity to an end and change the course of his life by focusing on his skills.

A social enquiry report described the young man as intelligent and very good at auto-mechanics and auto-body repairs.

“At the end of your period of incarceration you must put your skills to use and concentrate on obtaining a job … and never resort to criminal activity again,” Justice Quin told the teenager. “You are the only one who can ensure that you lead a crime free and productive life and have the necessary ability and skills to do so.”