Drug addict Richard Wrate of New Milton jailed for over five years after admitting robbery and attempted robbery

A DRUG addict who flagged down his mum’s car and asked for a hug before robbing her has been jailed for more than five years.

Richard Wrate (31), of no fixed abode but formerly of New Milton, admitted a total of nine offences which took place between January and May last year.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Wrate flagged down his mother’s car as she drove along Stem Lane at around 4pm on 15th January last year.

Prosecutor Luisa Rose said the defendant stepped out in front of her car, waving his arms to get her to stop. He asked her for a hug and then for £50, but when she refused he smashed one of the vehicle’s windows and snatched her handbag.

The court heard her bank card was later used in McColl’s on items totalling £313.60.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, she said: “As a mother, supporting a prosecution against my son is hard to do. I do so only out of desperation – I can no longer take this behaviour. His choices have ruined my life and torn my family apart.”

The incident had left her feeling anxious and afraid of leaving the house for fear of seeing him, it added.

Two days later, Wrate targeted a 60-year-old woman as she walked along Pleasance Way in the town. The court heard he approached her from behind on a bicycle and tried to snatch her bag. As she refused to let go, she fell to the ground and screamed for help, Wrate eventually riding away after being unable to wrangle the bag from her.

The court heard the victim was left “angry and upset” by the incident and was afterwards sore and “ached all over”. She also suffered flashbacks.

Later that day, Wrate stole an iPhone from a Tesco employee while he was distracted by a delivery, but returned to the store after a message was sent to the phone offering a reward if found.

Ms Rose told the court when the defendant arrived at the store he was offered £30 for “finding” the phone, but Wrate demanded £40. He then stole items from the store worth £14.30 before fleeing.

In a statement, the victim said the theft meant he had no way of contacting his mother, who had been just rushed to hospital with sepsis, or contacting other employees to ask them to take over his shift. As a result, he had to close the store, leading to a loss of income, and on arrival at the hospital spent time cancelling his bank cards, which had been in his phone case, instead of seeing his ill mother.

On 24th January police sergeant Arron Wood spotted Wrate riding a bicycle near Pleasance Way and tried to arrest him.

He rode off, the court heard, but Sgt Wood found Wrate shortly after, hiding behind a stairwell. He drew his Taser and shouted “get to the ground” before another man known to Wrate pulled PS Wood away, and he escaped.

The officer suffered minor injuries in the struggle, said Ms Rose.

In a statement read to the court, Sgt Wood said the situation had been “dire” and he felt “panicked and scared” as there were no officers nearby to help.

Wrate was arrested two days later and in interview denied the string of offences, including a further incident on 3rd May at Morrisons in the town, where he stole a bottle of vodka.

Defending, Richard Martin said Wrate was a class A drug addict and “an all too familiar story”, adding: “He has destroyed the relationship with his mother with his utterly unacceptable lifestyle.”

Having spent time in care as a child, he then “fell into bad company”, said Mr Martin. He added: “This is a defendant who is in a very unfortunate position. He must have known the effect the drugs were having, but such was the grip, he continued to re-offend.”

Wrate had been clean of drugs since he was remanded last November, and while he had a “very long way to go”, had made “the best of starts”.

Mr Martin added: “He has well and truly ended any relationship with his mother. He accepts in the cold light of day that his behaviour has been utterly unacceptable – he struggles to believe he has behaved in such a way.

“It is a shame there is no alternative to an immediate sentence of imprisonment – he would love to start again.”

Wrate pleaded guilty on a previous occasion to theft, criminal damage and fraud by false representation, along with attempted robbery, three counts of theft, assaulting an emergency worker and escaping custody.

Judge Christopher Parker KC told Wrate he had caused “long-lasting harm” to his mother. “She was at her wits’ end; right at the end of her tether. She had done everything she could to protect you from your addictions, but you rejected that.

“You said in the cold light of a sober day, you want to change your ways. If you carry on, you could lead a positive life. If you don’t, you will have even longer in prison. I hope for your sake you change your ways.”

In addition to his sentence of five years and three months – of which he will serve half in prison before being released on licence – Wrate was handed an indefinite restraining order against his mother.