A street robber who targeted a victim who had been for a charity meal at his local church bought drink and drugs with the spoils of his crime, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Anthony Williams, 27, was shopped by a member of the public after mugging Haroon Abbassi when he had left St Mary’s Church, in Barkerend Road, Bradford, at 7.50pm on April 6.

Mr Abbassi was known to Williams, who also enjoyed the free meals at the church provided for homeless people, prosecutor Ken Green said.

Williams, of Fagley Road, Fagley, Bradford, admitted the robbery to the police and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

The court was told yesterday that he and an accomplice followed Mr Abbassi and asked him for a cigarette.

When he refused, they demanded his bag, saying they had knives.

Williams snatched the bag, containing a laptop computer and a phone, worth £300, and the robbers ran off.

Williams told the police it was a spur-of-the-moment offence.

He said he knew Mr Abbassi because both men went to the church for the free meals.

Mr Green said the Crown accepted that Williams did not have a knife with him that night. He had sold the laptop computer for £40 and spend the cash on alcohol and cannabis.

In mitigation, the court heard that Williams had an issue with drugs and commited the robbery in “a moment of desperation.”

It was an unsophisticated offence in a well-lit street that was captured on CCTV. Mr Abbassi was unhurt.

Williams, who had health problems, including a depressive illness, was very sorry for what he had done, the court heard. He had no convictions for offences of robbery but had served four years in a young offender institution for wounding with intent.

Judge David Hatton QC sentenced Williams to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with supervision.