Michael Collins, 40, who has been jailed for three and a half years after attempting to mug a 77-year-old
A mugger who fled empty handed after his brave 77-year-old victim fought back has been jailed for three and a half years.
Michael Collins, 40, attempted to mug Trevor Weston as he withdrew money from a cashpoint in Roath, Cardiff, on February 5, believing that he was an ‘easy target’.
But ‘valiant and robust’ Mr Weston put his fists up telling the mugger: ‘Do you want some of this pal?’
Pensioner Mr Weston was filmed by CCTV cameras giving blundering robber Collins a boxing lesson.
Collins, who has 57 previous convictions for 156 offences, admitting attempted robbery of cash and a bank card.
Grandfather-of-three Mr Weston stopped at the Sainsbury’s supermarket cashpoint at 7am to get money to buy his morning papers.
Collins pushed him in the chest and threatened: ‘Give me your card and your money or I’ll stab you.’
Instead of handing over the £30 in notes Mr Weston fought back with two jabs and an upper cut.
Cardiff Crown Court heard Collins fled empty-handed and was arrested after being recognised from the CCTV footage.
Michael Collins, 40, (left) tried to rob 77-year-old Trevor Weston (right) at a cash machine in Cardiff
Prosecutor Timothy Evans said: ‘Mr Weston was alone and it was dark. He parked near the machine and used his card.
‘As he was taking the cash, he was shocked when arms reached around to grab him and a man told him: “Give me your card and your money or I will stab you.”
‘This was the deliberate targeting of an elderly gentleman in twilight. It was plainly a cowardly attack.
‘The defendant demanded the victim’s card and money but instead he got a left hook from Mr Weston who spun around and pushed him.
However, the retired bus driver fought off the blundering mugger, who has now been jailed for three and a half years
‘The defendant repeated his threat but Mr Weston punched him to the face to keep him away and then squared up to his attacker in a boxing stance which took him aback.
‘The 77-year-old victim’s response was valiant and robust.’
In his personal victim statement, Mr Weston said: ‘After the incident, I went home and had breakfast.
‘It was only when I was watching TV that it suddenly dawned on me what had happened and I was shaking and shocked.’
The court heard Collins, of Ely, Cardiff, was armed with a black and yellow striped pencil.
Instead of handing over the cash, the 77-year-old put up his fists and saw his attacker off
Collins previous offences include assaulting police, battery, harassment, taking vehicles without consent, shoplifting, theft, handling stolen goods and criminal damage.
Kevin Seal, defending said: ‘His best mitigation is his guilty plea. He has no recollection of what happened and he speaks of a lost two days after taking illegal drugs and alcohol to a great degree.
‘He tested for heroin and cocaine at the police station after he was arrested. He began offending at the age of 13.’
Judge Richard Williams told him: ‘You decided to try and rob an older man when he was isolated and you thought he was an easy target.
After being approached by the mugger, Mr Weston (pictured) shouted to his attacker: ‘Do you want some of this, pal?
‘You prepared to rob him and you concealed your face and threatened to stab him. You picked on the wrong man.
‘Mr Weston, despite his relative seniority, chose to defend himself and did so with courage, determination and he was entirely successful.’
Mr Weston said at the time: ‘I cracked him a couple of times and he looked stunned, like he couldn’t believe what I was doing.’
The father-of-two revealed he could only use his left arm to throw punches after breaking his shoulder putting up curtains at Christmas.
He said: ‘I’ve never had a fight in my life, even when I was dealing with troublemakers on the buses years ago.
‘I had a fall at home putting up curtains so I could only land a decent punch with my left fist.’Collins appeared in court via video link from Cardiff Prison.