Homeless Bradford drug addict who robbed woman jailed

The pair appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday morning

A homeless drug addict who attacked and robbed a woman after she had previously given him food has been jailed for five years.

Amraiz Rehman, 44, hit the woman on the head and stole £100 and a phone from her after meeting her in the Stott Hill area of Bradford in July 2023.

Bradford Crown Court had heard that the night before, the woman had offered Rehman food because he was "destitute".

The victim told the court the incident had "changed her life totally".

The court was told that she had met up with Rehman on the night of the incident so she could get money back for some faulty speakers she had bought from him.

He then pushed her against a wall and she suffered a wound to her head before Rehman fled the scene, the court heard.

'Stuck in nightmare'

The victim said in an impact statement read to the court that she used to be a "bubbly outgoing person", but she now cried every day and had "completely lost" her trust in people.

She also said she had always helped those in need and had taken food to the defendant.

She still suffered pain in her shoulder and her head still ached from when it was "split open", she added.

"I feel like I'm stuck in a nightmare."

'Empty words'

Rehman, who appeared via a video link to HMP Leeds, read a letter in which he expressed remorse for his actions and said he panicked after seeing his victim on the ground.

He added that he had been in a "dark place" at the time because he was homeless and using drugs.

However, Judge Roger Thomas KC said Rehman's remarks had been "empty words".

Rehman, who has previous convictions for robbery, was "no doubt intent on getting money from her for your drug misuse", he added.

Jailing Rehman, who was found guilty by a jury after his trial in January, Judge Thomas said he had accepted his victim's charity, but the next day he had "bitten the hand that fed him".