Bury: Teenagers sentenced after robberies- including at McDonald's

Isaiah Foster and Saamai Arshad were both aged 17 when they were involved in the robbery of a £180 Gucci bag and an iPhone from another male outside McDonald’s in Bury on July 2 last year.

Prosecutor Kate Gaskell told Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday, December 13 that the male and his friend walked into the restaurant before noticing a group of four youths behind them, all of whom had their faces covered.

The group then asked the two males to go outside with them and threatened to stab them if he didn’t hand over the bag from which Foster then took an iPhone.

A passing bystander asked the male if he had been mugged, which prompted members of the group to punch him a number of times, resulting in a cut to his right ear, the court heard.

The group then ran off through Bury town centre before Foster attempted to make a purchase with a stolen GoHenry bank card.

Foster was then seen by a police officer who had met him on several previous occasions and he was arrested on July 19, 2022.

Isaiah Foster (Image: Greater Manchester Police)

The pair, now both aged 18, also committed robberies in the Cambridge Street underpass in Manchester City Centre by robbing lone victims at knifepoint in the hours of darkness.

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Foster and Arshad, now both aged 18, previously pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery.

In sentencing on Thursday, December 14, Judge Tom Gilbart said: “What the two of you did was extremely serious.

"It was an utterly terrifying thing to do, and you should be utterly ashamed causing terror and fear in this way.”

Saamai Arshad (Image: Greater Manchester Police)

Judge Gilbart took into account the fact that Foster has appeared in court since he was aged 13, whereas Arshad was of good character before the offences.

He also pointed out that Foster was young and immature but that he did express remorse for his actions.

He was on the child protection register as a child and was a victim of serious violence when in custody on previous occasions.

His younger brother is in ill health which has greatly affected him too.

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Judge Gilbart also acknowledged Arshad was young and immature and had a disrupted education and it is possible he may have special educational needs.

He had a difficult childhood as his father died aged five and his mum had ill care which made him have to go into foster care.

Foster, of Salisbury Street, Moss Side, was given four years and eight months youth custody and Arshad, of Brow Walk, Blackley, was sentenced to two years.