A man who punched two teenagers and stole their phones on a Lichfield-bound train has been jailed for three years.
Darren Marsh, of Badgers Bank Road, Birmingham, was jailed for three years after being found guilty of two counts of robbery and one of attempted robbery when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court.
The 36-year-old was one of two men who approached a group of teenagers travelling on the train from Birmingham New Street towards Lichfield on June 17. After being ignored when they attempted to join in the conversation, Marsh then began spitting at one of the passengers.
The court heard how he then began to punch one of the teens in the face before taking his mobile phone. Marsh then punched another in the group before also taking his phone. He searched a third member but took nothing from him.
Marsh and the man who was travelling with him – but was not charged – then left the service at Butlers Lane.
He was arrested when one of the victims saw him on a platform at Erdington train station later in the day and officers caught him following a foot chase in Four Oaks. Two Blackberry Curve mobile phones were recovered.
