Hither Green schoolboy robbed at knifepoint then told 'run'

The incident took place in Hither Green on the evening of November 9 last year when the victim, an A-level student, was on his way home. 

Prosecutor Rajesh Pabary said the victim became uncomfortable when a hooded man walking ahead kept turning to look at him. 

He decided to cross the road and sped up to put distance between them, but the hooded man followed and stopped a few metres ahead of him. 

The schoolboy began to run before he noticed the glint of a knife in the hooded man’s hand, Mr Pabary said. 

The victim threw his wallet towards the robber, who said “your phone too” then “good boy, now run away”. 

The schoolboy reported the incident to police and the robber, identified as 19-year-old Kieran-Lee Henry, was arrested at Hither Green station three days later. 

When he was arrested he was carrying a folding pocketknife, but the phone and wallet were never recovered. 

In a victim personal statement, the schoolboy said: "Since being robbed at knifepoint I’ve become more nervous and hesitant walking outside alone. In quiet streets and areas where I should feel safe I am uncomfortable.” 

Henry, previously of Knowles Hill Crescent in Hither Green, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article. 

However, he denied having a knife in hand when he carried out the robbery. 

But after hearing both Henry and the victim give evidence, Judge Ben Gumpert KC said he was sure Henry was lying. 

Henry was produced from HMP Belmarsh for sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday (September 30). 

In mitigation, the court heard that Henry had been in care from the age of three as his mum was a drug user and his dad was in and out of prison. 

He had recently left care and carried out the robber to pay for utilities bills. 

Henry began offending in 2020 and has a previous conviction for possessing a knife, but the court heard he had not been in trouble with the law for two years before this offence. 

Kieran-Lee Henry avoided an immediate prison sentence when he was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday (September 30) (Image: Newsquest) Judge Gumpert sentenced Henry to 23 months in a young offenders institution but suspended the sentence for two years. 

He explained that even if the sentence had not been suspended Henry would be released in a matter of weeks as he has been remanded in custody since his arrest in November. 

Judge Gumpert added that the suspended sentence allows him to impose conditions on Henry including electronic monitoring for a year, 200 hours of unpaid work, 26 days on a thinking skills programme and 15 days rehabilitation activity. 

Judge Gumpert told Henry: “I’ve taken something of a chance with you. You’ve got a bad record and you didn’t improve your situation by lying about the knife when you committed this robbery. 

“Your life will be a disaster if you don’t take this opportunity. You will be in and out of prison until your get too tired and old to commit criminal offences, so take this chance.”