TWO men and five youths have been locked up for more than 16 years for a series of violent, cannabis-fuelled street robberies in Bradford city centre targeting lone and vulnerable victims.

Men and boys were hunted down and attacked in five separate incidents between June and September last year, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Shakeel Ahmed, 20, of Coates Street, West Bowling, Bradford, was sentenced to seven years in a young offender institution for three robberies.

Ahmed was twice re-admitted to bail and was on licence after serving a four and a half year sentence for the robbery of a 71-year-old man in his home.

Jordan Shahid, 20, also of Coates Street, was locked up for four years for teaming up with Ahmed to attack and rob a lone man in the city centre late at night on August 22.

The pair, wearing hooded tops, demanded John Williams' wallet on Leeming Street.

He refused and was knocked out, waking up in the road with his two front teeth knocked out and his nose streaming blood.

Mr Williams was robbed of his phone, wallet and keys.

He suffered cuts and bruising and needed dental implants and a CT scan.

Also in the dock were five Bradford youths, aged 15 to 17, who were given detention and training orders totalling almost five years. Three received 12 month sentences, one a 16 month term and the fifth ten months.

Two of the teenagers were handcuffed to dock officers for the sentencing hearing in the packed courtroom.

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Judge Jonathan Rose told all seven defendants: "These are serious offences that instil fear into decent and law abiding citizens in Bradford. Each of them bears similar features. They are cowardly attacks by groups of young men who isolate their victims first."

Unnecessary violence was used on several occasions to strip boys and men of belongings including phones, a wallet, a bicycle and keys.

"Your victims were put in fear and were very greatly shocked and upset. The law abiding public are entitled to go about their business in peace," Judge Rose said.

Prosecutor Duncan Ritchie said the case concerned five robberies by young men in hoodies who gathered in Centenary Square and picked out lone and vulnerable victims to pursue and rob.

On June 6 last year, four of the youths attacked 27-year-old David Hirst on Bank Street at 3am.

Mr Hirst, who had been drinking in a city centre pub, fell heavily while being chased by the group.

He was kicked to his upper body or face and robbed of his bank card that was used to withdraw £480.

Mr Hirst was cut and bruised and suffered two chipped teeth.

Mr Ritchie said the robbers were captured on CCTV knocking down another man shortly afterwards.

"They walked away in high spirits and apparently congratulating each other," he said.

One of the group was caught with Mr Hirst's phone and another with £100 in cash.

Ahmed and an unidentified accomplice robbed a partially mute 15-year-old boy with a learning disability in the Jacobs Well subway on August 11.

He was put in a headlock, knocked off his pedal cycle and robbed of the bike and his iPhone.

The teenager was threatened: "Don't tell anybody or I'll kill you."

Ahmed was again on bail when he and a defendant aged 15 robbed two boys in the early evening of August 28.

The teenagers, aged 15 and 16, were walking from the city centre towards White Abbey Road when Ahmed stood in front of them, stopping them in their tracks.

One boy was robbed of his phone and told he would be knocked out if he did not give the password.

The youth threatened: "I'm from BD5 - don't mess with me."

Two of the youths then robbed a man on Market Street late on September 4.

John Mirfield was kicked in the back and then repeatedly kicked while on the ground, shielding his head from the blows.

He handed over his phone and hid while the robbers went up Sunbridge Road hunting another victim.

Barristers for four of the youths said their criminality was driven by their addiction to cannabis.

Imran Khan, representing Ahmed, said he worked as a chef for two months after his release from custody for robbing the pensioner but began staying out late, cycling into Bradford city centre.

"He is still a young man who can change," Mr Khan said.

Mark Brookes, for Shahid, said he had no previous convictions.

He had potential, being due to study criminology at Huddersfield University.

One of the 15-year-olds, who was in handcuffs, grinned with delight at his 16 month sentence, whooping with joy as he was led down to the cells after thanking the judge.

The court heard he was a troubled teenager who came to the UK when he was aged seven.

He abused alcohol and cannabis and had "already acquired a formidable criminal record."