Pregnant Chirk mum-of-five and two teens locked up after sickening knifepoint robbery of vulnerable man

Victoria Emma Cullen, 34, of Coronation Drive in Chirk, was said to have initiated the attack on the man, who was beaten up, threatened with a knife and robbed of his wallet and bank card.

She admitted robbery and common assault and was sentenced to three years and four months.

Mold Crown Court heard how the man’s attackers had rifled through his pockets as he lay helpless on the ground and how callously, two of them returned and forced him to hand over his PIN, before withdrawing £200 in cash from his bank account.

Victoria Cullen

The court heard the victim’s mental health had deteriorated so much after the robbery that he had to spend weeks in a psychiatric unit.

One of the defendants, Thomas Kiely, 19, of no fixed abode, but who came from Manchester, was sentenced to a total of five years youth detention - four-and-half years for the robbery and a six month suspended sentence was activated.

Kiely, who had the knife, admitted possessing the blade, blackmail by forcing the victim to hand over the PIN and theft of the money.

A judge told him he was clearly a man who routinely carried knives and he should realise that in North Wales serious injuries and worse had occurred because of knife crime.

Bradley Jones, 19, of St David’s Crescent in Wrexham, who had never been in any trouble before, received a two year sentence of youth detention after he admitted robbery and blackmail.

Bradley Jones

Judge Niclas Parry told them that it was a serious and depressive case of street robbery which would “sicken right minded people”.

They knew they had found a vulnerable victim in Polish man Mariusz Gaca and they had “gone back again and again” to take advantage of him. He said they had not only taken his property but repeatedly used violence upon him.

Judge Parry said: “At no point during this sustained incident did your victim offer a shred of resistance, such was his vulnerability, a man with mental health difficulties alone on the street at night.”

Victoria Cullen approached him initially and for no reason repeatedly punched him to the face and body and verbally abused him. The two others then spoke to her, saw their opportunity and saw the victim for what he was - “easy prey”. They covered their faces and pulled their hoods up - and “went for him”.

“He was sitting on the floor, such was his confusion after being beaten up.” added Judge Parry.

Kiely produced a large knife, he handed over his wallet, they both rifled through his pockets. His passport and bank card were stolen. Cullen then “cruelly returned and continued to punch him to the face and head.”

Thomas Kiely

But the judge said that was not enough for them. They walked away but Kiely and Jones returned as he was sitting on the floor by a cash point machine. Kiely struck him to the back and to the back of the neck repeatedly and he was threatened to hand over his PIN. Jones stood with the victim while Kiely withdrew the £200.

The effects on the victim had been far reaching, the judge said. His mental health had deteriorated, he had to stay in hospital for several weeks and he had trouble sleeping and nightmares, although his physical injuries were not serious.

Prosecuting barrister Ember-Jade Wong told how on the evening of May 19 this year, the victim had gone out to get some cigarettes and had ended up helping another woman by giving her money for food and petrol.

He was at a cash point at Prince Charles Road when he was approached by a group and was asked where he was from. The victim said that he was Polish.

Cullen assaulted and verbally abused him and was pulled away, before Kiely and Jones were then seen to cover their faces and raise their hoods.

They returned and with Jones standing alongside him, Kiely produced the knife and told the victim: “Give me everything you have.”

Alun Williams, defending, said Cullen was concerned that someone had sold drugs to a member of her family and she went to remonstrate with the complainant - although he stressed there was no evidence at all that he was responsible.

She accepted getting involved and offering violence while the complainant was being robbed. He said his client was expecting her sixth child in April which was something that would have to be managed in custody.

Judge Parry said he appreciated that she was pregnant which he said was a decision she had made since the proceedings began.

Simon Rogers, representing Jones, said his client felt horrible when shown CCTV footage of the incident. He added that his client had not been in trouble before and had been led into it by others more criminally sophisticated.

Andrea Lock, representing Kiely, said the “deeply unattractive offending” was not planned or sophisticated but “spontaneous”.

She added her client had mental health problems. He was receiving counselling in custody and was now more coherent after becoming cannabis free.