A FORMER Royal Marine Commando who robbed a man at knifepoint at a Bradford bus stop has been jailed for four years.

Darren Storey, 35, was also sentenced for his part in a street brawl in Leeds city centre during which he hurled a road barrier at one of his victims.

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye told Bradford Crown Court that at 6.20am on December 15 last year, Storey approached Joshua Taylor as he waited for a bus on Reevylands Drive in Wibsey.

Storey, who had a kitchen knife in his hand, ran at his victim, causing him to fall backwards. He took Mr Taylor’s work bag, which included boots, ear protectors, and Blu-ray speakers, and was found guilty of robbery after a trial.

In a victim statement, Mr Taylor said the incident left him suffering from anxiety and unable to take his daughter to nursery as he was afraid to go outside.

Miss Kaye said that less than two weeks before the robbery, on December 2, Storey had been out drinking with friends in Leeds.

At around 6am, he was seen on CCTV in a fight involving two groups of men in Briggate. During the altercation, Storey was said to have run towards one man and delivered a “flying kick” that knocked him to the ground.

He then chased another man, repeatedly aiming a “barrage of punches” and kicks at him, despite the man not retaliating and “trying to diffuse the situation”.

Miss Kaye said Storey, who admitted a charge of affray, knocked the man into a security fence before then “picking up a road barrier and throwing it at him”.

She said police described Storey’s behaviour as “seven minutes’ worth of continuous violence.”

Conor Quinn, mitigating for Storey, of Halifax Road, Bradford, said his client had also volunteered for the Homeless Hampers charity, describing him as a “gentle giant who was a role model to many”.

He said that in November last year Storey had lost teeth and had his jaw damaged after being attacked on a night out, bringing on post-traumatic stress disorder linked to his military service in Afghanistan.

Judge David Hatton QC said of Storey’s injuries: “You would have thought that might have put him off doing the same to other people.”

Sentencing Storey, who the court heard had starting abusing drink and drugs around the time of the offences due to the break-up of a relationship, he said: “It is clear from your history you are well capable of leading a responsible, helpful, and productive life.

“Unfortunately, in December last year, you very much went off the rails.

“Fuelled by drink, you committed a very serious affray, it was persistent and sustained. Then 13 days later, you committed a robbery on a perfectly innocent man, producing a knife and putting him in fear.

“All out of character, but I have to reflect the gravity of the offences.”