'Kick his ****ing head in': Wannabe bricklayer who robbed wheelchair user jailed for eight years

Layton Hynes
-Credit: (Image: Cleveland Police)


A “drunk” teenager who embarked on a robbery spree gained a “small sum of cash” and some booze has been locked up for eight years.

Layton Hynes has gone “straight in at the deep end” of the justice system by leaving his victims “nervous” and suffering “flashbacks”. The 19-year-old carried out his first robbery on Stockton Road, Middlesbrough, by targeting the home of a wheelchair user.

The Thorntree man left the victim’s home with a smashed door and window after he instructed his accomplice to “kick his f****** head in”. It was then one month later, when the thief went on to attack a man in the street then moving onto a corner shop robbery.

Hynes, of Sefton Road, Middlesbrough, appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Monday for sentencing via video link from HMP Durham. In the first case, Hynes robbed a man who was asleep in his home on February 21.

The resident awoke to “glass smashing” and saw Hynes outside his home. Although he didn’t recognise Hynes, he was later identified through fingerprints, the court heard. He had smashed the glass in the front door by “throwing a brick through it”.

Hynes, along with another unidentified male who smashed another window, barged into the home and “refused to get out”. The second male grabbed the victim’s wallet and Hynes told him to “kick his f****** head in”, prosecutor Victoria Lamballe said.

The pair left with the man’s wallet, which contained bank cards and £90 in cash, as well as his mobile phone. The victim was left with bruising to his face, back and ribs, and damage to his home.

Street robbery

Then on March 12, Hynes went on a robbery spree leaving a man nervous to leave his home and causing chaos in a convenience store. The first incident saw Hynes approach a man who was carrying a can of pop and demand: “Give us that pop mate.”

He did, but Hynes didn’t stop there. He grabbed hold of his coat and forced him up against a shop window telling him: “Give me your cash.” As the victim responded that he “hardly had any on him”, Hynes took no notice and demanded his wallet.

The Middlesbrough court heard that the teen continued his search and “dragged him down an alleyway”. Hynes punched the victim in the face telling him he “wanted cash now”.

But as he was disturbed by members of the public, he made off from the scene. In a victim personal statement, the man stated that he has “flashbacks” and the incident has ‘changed him as a person’.

Cash demands

However, it wasn’t long before Hynes found his next victim by entering the Sgs Supermarket in Ferryhill. It was around 9.20pm when he entered the store asking for a bottle of gin. The male worker asked Hynes for ID and refused to serve him without it.

But Hynes wouldn’t take no for an answer, putting a crate of larger on the counter. The worker asked him to leave the store - but he refused.

The teen then placed his hand inside his tracksuit top, claiming he had a knife, Teesside Crown Court heard. After demanding to be served, Hynes picked up the larger and attempted to leave but was stopped by the shop assistant.

He began pushing the worker before a customer intervened. Hynes then began demanding that the worker open the till, but he refused. He grabbed two bottles of alcohol and left the store.

Shortly afterwards, the owner of the store attended but Hynes returned. This time he’d pulled his hood up and tried to conceal his face.

The court heard how he told the owner he had a “knife in his trousers” as he demanded money from the till. He made attempts to get behind the counter to the till area.

Hynes grabbed a bottle of wine and held it above his head as he threatened the workers. He then punched the owner before leaving the store.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the store worker was left “in shock” by Hynes’ actions and now ‘doesn’t like working on his own’. CCTV of the robbery and attempted robbery was played in court on Monday, as Hynes sat with his head in his hands. Ms Lamballe added that Hynes had one prior conviction for shop theft.

'New approach to life'

Paul Abrahams, mitigating, told the court that Hynes has a “new approach to life” as “clearly drugs and alcohol were the root cause” of his offending. He added that Hynes has “gone straight in at the deep end” referring to the severity of his crimes and lack of offending history.

Mr Abrahams added that since being in prison Hynes has completed a painting and decorating course as well as a bricklaying course in a bid to get a job when he is released. Judge Tim Stead stated that ‘intoxicating substances were the root of Hynes’ mischief’. He also referred to Hynes’ ‘immaturity’ which was outlined in a pre-sentence report.

Hynes was jailed for four years and six month for the Middlesbrough home robbery. For the street robbery, shop robbery and attempted robbery he was given a further three and a half year jail term.

As he was handed his eight year sentence, a shout of ‘bye son’ could be heard from the public gallery as the video link from HMP Durham was cut off.

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