Youths admit robbery charge

2:51pm Monday 22nd September 2008

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TWO youths have been remanded in custody after admitting charges of robbery and affray.

Leo Scarth, 20, and the 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, both from Chippenham, had initially pleaded not guilty to robbery.

But they changed their pleas a week before they were due to stand trial to admit robbing Anthony Wood of money on Monday March 3.

They had also been accused of assaulting a man with intent to rob at a petrol station on Bath Road, Chippenham, a few days later.

However the prosecution accepted their pleas of guilty to the lesser charge of affray when they appeared at Swindon Crown Court on Thursday.

Scarth, of Ladyfield Road, Chippenham, and the youth both pleaded guilty to robbery and affray.

Judge Douglas Field told the court that because the teenager was a persistent young offender the case would be fast tracked.

He remanded both men in custody and ordered pre-sentence reports to be prepared by the probation service and youth offending team.

A third defendant, who is 17 and also cannot be named, still faces trial by jury after pleading not guilty to robbery and assault with intent to rob.

In the incident at the Total petrol station it was said Rajaratnam Vasuthevan was attacked outside the garage at about 11pm as he went to pick up friend Kumar Satheeswarn after work.

He said a gang of youths surrounded his car and smashed the windows with an iron bar as he fled towards the shop.

The man alleged he was struck on the hand and arm with the weapon suffering a broken bone to one of his hands.

Mr Satheeswarn said the attackers had been taunting him and demanding money as he locked up when his friend arrived in the car.