Robber who preyed on young people in city jailed

Dylan Spencer was identified from CCTV footage of a robbery in October, police said

A robber who targeted young people in a series of "audacious and aggressive" frauds in Nottingham city centre has been jailed.

Nottinghamshire Police said Dylan Spencer made up stories to gain victims' sympathy before carrying out his crimes in October and November last year.

One victim was pressured into transferring £270 from his phone to Spencer – who suggested he had a knife - after he claimed to have been in a road traffic accident.

Spencer, of Beechdale Road in Nottingham, was sentenced to six years in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday.

The 26-year-old targeted one young man, as the victim was walking with his girlfriend along Bluecoat Street on 7 October.

Spencer shouted out of the window and told him to "come here", before grabbing the man and threatening to produce a knife if he did not hand over cash.

The victim handed over £30 to £40, police added.

'Calculating and brazen'

Spencer targeted two more young men on 11 November with "aggressive and menacing scams", the force said.

He pressured one victim into transferring him £270 from his phone in Shakespeare Street, after claiming to have been in a road accident.

Spencer then claimed to another young man, in Ilkeston Road on the same day, that he needed money following an accident.

The victim, police said, felt intimidated and agreed to help.

Spencer sent them an online voucher in exchange for £125 that was sent from the victim's banking app.

Police said victims lost hundreds of pounds over the course of two months.

Spencer was eventually identified by officers from CCTV footage of a robbery in October.

Spencer's phone number was also handed to police by one of the victims he had scammed, adding Spencer had allowed one of his victims to photograph his passport as proof of ID.

The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery and two counts of fraud by false representation.

Det Insp Tim Townsend, of Nottinghamshire Police, said the case was "unusual" as money was transferred from mobile phones that remained in the possession of their owners during two of the robberies.

"Spencer is a calculating and brazen offender who preyed upon young people in the city - using his imposing physical presence and the threat of violence to coerce people into handing over significant sums of money," he added.