A JUDGE has praised a father who contacted police after his son stabbed a man in the leg during a daylight robbery in Bradford city centre.

A judge heard yesterday how Marcus Hoyle knifed 38-year-old Timothy Goggs twice in his right leg as he grappled with Hoyle's accomplice after his wallet had been snatched from him in the Forster Square Retail Park in Bradford.

Mr Goggs had to have the wounds to his leg stitched following the incident in July and yesterday 28-year-old Hoyle was jailed for five years.

Judge David Hatton QC was told by prosecutor Bashir Ahmed that the defendant's father had done "the honourable thing" in reporting his son's involvement to the police.

"Quite right. Well done him," responded Judge Hatton, who noted that it must have been a very difficult thing to do.

The knife believed to have been used in the attack was later found by police at Hoyle's home and last month he pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and possessing an offensive weapon.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Mr Goggs and a friend had been walking across the retail park at about 2.30pm on July 7 when Hoyle and the group he was with spotted the complainant's wallet.

After confronting Mr Goggs Hoyle pulled the "dagger-like" knife from his sock and the complainant told him:"Don't be stupid. You'll go to jail for a long time."

After a tussle between Mr Goggs and the accomplice, who was on a bicycle, the complainant's wallet was taken and he gave chase.

Mr Ahmed said Mr Goggs managed to catch up with the accomplice, but as they grappled again Hoyle approached them with the knife and stabbed the complainant twice in the leg.

Mr Goggs suffered one-inch knife wounds to the right knee area and the right thigh in the attack.

The court heard that Hoyle, of Ribbleton Grove, Barkerend, Bradford, had never served a prison sentence before, but he had committed another robbery back in 2009.

Barrister Elyas Patel, for Hoyle, said his client was petrified of going to jail and he noted that while others had been involved in the incident the defendant was the only one in court "to face the music".

Mr Patel submitted that the robbery was a "spur of the moment" offence committed after the wallet was spotted and said his client was truly sorry for using the knife in a dangerously reckless attempt to free his accomplice.

"It's a miracle, and he knows it, that thankfully no serious or long-lasting injury was caused," conceded Mr Patel.

"As for the defendant he is truly ashamed by his involvement and at the shame and upset he has caused to be visited upon his own family.

"He hopes his plea of guilty signals the beginning of the road to redemption for him."

Judge Hatton told the father-of-one that the offence was a very serious robbery which was aggravated by Hoyle's ultimate use of the knife.

"It is inevitably the case as you appreciate, and as you will have been advised, that an immediate sentence of imprisonment is essential to mark the gravity of this offending," the judge added.