A case involving Mouhamed Sarr, a resident of Ormond Road, Wantage, concluded with a sentencing at Oxford Crown Court. Sarr, 19, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for stealing a phone from a 15-year-old boy at Betjeman Millennium Park in Wantage on January 15. He had previously pleaded guilty to the charges.
The court proceedings revealed that Sarr blocked the boy’s path to school while wearing a balaclava, then grabbed the boy’s bike and pushed him against a wall. Sarr accused the boy of recording a video of him playing basketball and posting it to Snapchat, a claim the boy denied. He threatened the boy, stating, “If you are lying I will kill you,” and subsequently forced him to walk with him for a while before stealing his phone. The stolen phone was traced to a shop in Didcot where Sarr attempted to sell it.
A victim personal statement presented by the prosecution highlighted the impact of the robbery, stating, “I was robbed on my way to school. I now don’t feel safe. I haven’t been back to the park since and I don’t think I ever will. My school has been very supportive of me. My anxiety increased after the incident. I play the incident over and over in my head. It’s still on my mind.”
In mitigation, Kelly Purcell-Chandler noted that Sarr acknowledged his wrongdoing and had expressed remorse from the outset. The court was informed that Sarr had moved to the UK from Senegal in December 2020 and had faced difficulties integrating.
During sentencing, Judge Hassan Khan remarked on the escalation of Sarr’s offending, mentioning previous instances of bullying and attempted burglary. He acknowledged the physical force and threats of violence involved in the incident, stating, “The boy felt very unsafe after the incident occurred. There was significant intimidation.” Judge Khan also considered Sarr’s challenging history and circumstances.
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Sarr was ultimately jailed for 27 months, reflecting on his offenses and the impact on his victim.
