Wirral robber posed as Good Samaritan to target RAF veteran, 88

Jun 30 2010 by Chloe Griffiths, Bromborough and Bebington News

A ROBBER who posed as a good Samaritan to target an 88-year-old RAF veteran was jailed for three years.

Carl Bateman, 34, tricked “gentleman” Robert Anderson into getting in his car by pretending he knew him and offering him a lift to the supermarket.

But Liverpool crown court heard Bateman instead drove Mr Anderson around for an hour before finding an isolated spot to rob him.

Jailing Bateman for three years, Judge John Phipps said: “You never intended to take him to a supermarket, instead you went a circuitous route then drove to a secluded side road where you robbed Mr Anderson of his wallet.

“That offence, of which the jury convicted you, was a devious, despicable offence.

“Mr Anderson was an elderly man and you targeted him for that reason.

“You regarded him as easy pickings. You took on the guise of a Good Samaritan and Mr Anderson being the gentleman, he so obviously is, did not want to refuse your offer.”

John Dixon, prosecuting, told the court Mr Anderson had left his home on June 29 last year to go to a supermarket in Prenton.

As he waited at a Borough Road bus stop, Bateman pulled over in his car.

The former taxi driver spoke to Mr Anderson as if they were friends and offered him a lift.

Not wanting to appear rude, Mr Anderson got into the car.

But once inside, Mr Dixon told how Bateman asked for money and urged the pensioner to help him out with petrol costs.

Mr Anderson refused, but was eventually driven into a quiet side road, where Bateman claimed they had run out of petrol.

Bateman then grabbed for his wallet, knocking Mr Anderson out the car and on to the floor.

The pensioner was helped by passers-by, but Bateman drove off with his wallet containing £40, two store cards and an RAF services card.

Bateman, of Oakworth Drive, New Ferry, denied robbery, but was convicted by jurors on May 28.

Judge John Phipps described the offence as “devious and despicable.”

Eric Lamb, defending, told how Bateman’s life had been “stood on its head” twice - once after a drink driving conviction which led to him losing his job as a taxi driver and earlier this year after the death of his mum and losing contact with his two daughters.

Mr Lamb added: “Nobody hearing evidence from Mr Anderson could fail to be impressed by that gentleman. An aggravating feature of the case is that he was an elderly victim.”