Robber who threatened to cut off fingers jailed

A "dangerous" criminal who threatened to cut off his victim's fingers during a robbery has been jailed.

Ishak Ali threatened a vulnerable man during a robbery in Batley on 8 August 2023, where a mobile phone and £10 were stolen, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Ali, of Upper Road in Batley, was found guilty of the robbery in August, and on Monday was jailed for nine years with a further three years to be served on licence.

He had also admitted further offences including unlawful wounding relating to a "frenzied and vicious” attack on a man at a house in Bradford three days before the robbery, and received concurrent jail sentences.

Ali followed the robbery victim from a shop to his home in Batley, his trial heard.

Prosecutor Stephen Grattage said the 39-year-old complainant, who was known to Ali, was surprised to see him when he got back to his flat door, but the defendant then pushed him into his home and threatened to use pepper spray on him.

Ali demanded £10 and then picked up garden secateurs and threatened to cut off his fingers.

As he left with the money and the victim’s mobile phone Ali threatened to kill the man and others if he called the police.

The robbery was one of a series of offences committed by Ali in the summer of 2023, the court heard.

Three days before the robbery, Ali had attacked a man at a house in Bradford.

Judge Sophie McKone said Ali had repeatedly used a crutch or walking stick to hit the man over the head and had then assaulted two women who tried to intervene.

Ali admitted offences of unlawful wounding, assault and common assault in relation to that incident and was given concurrent jail terms of 32 months, nine months and two months.

The court also heard that in June 2023 a man who had been assaulted by Ali had to barricade himself in a shop, while in July Ali breached a restraining order and stalked a woman by sending her messages and going to her home.

Ali was also caught burgling a school in Bradford, but the stolen items were recovered, the court heard.

Judge McKone passed further concurrent jail sentences for those offences and also imposed a 10-year restraining order banning Ali from contacting the man he attacked at the Bradford house.

Judge McKone concluded that his previous criminal history and the nature of the latest crimes meant he was a “dangerous” offender and an extended sentence of three years was needed in his case.

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