Officers have praised two passers-by who bravely stepped in to help after a callous criminal punched a pensioner on a mobility scooter and tried to rob him.
Zahid Akhtar, who also pulled off his elderly victim’s glasses, has now been jailed for four years.
The 36-year-old spotted the man, who is in his 70s, in the Moseley area of Birmingham as he was returning from shopping on 26 May.
Akhtar grabbed hold of the pensioner from behind and tried to pull him from the scooter, shouting ‘Give me the money’.
Akhtar began punching the man, leaving him with a cut to his face, before throwing his glasses onto the ground.
As Akhtar went to leave, a passing cyclist who had seen the assault stopped to help and along with another passer-by managed to hold Akhtar until our officers arrived and arrested him.
Akhtar, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court last Tuesday (4 August) to four years after pleading guilty to assault with intent to rob.
DC Jeff Brooks, of Force CID, said: “The passing cyclist courageously stepped in when he saw what was happening to this elderly man and with the help of another passer-by managed to apprehend Akhtar.
“We can only praise their community spirit and thank them for their actions which have helped us put a cold-hearted criminal behind bars.”