Meat cleaver robber who preyed on commuters jailed

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Tony Rhodes, 20, struck in March this year as commuters made their way home from Ilford station.

The shaven-headed thug threatened terrified victim Sadik Vora with the cleaver before making off with his mobile phone and £165 in cash.

Rhodes, who admitted plotting to carry out further muggings with an unidentified associate, also robbed Simon Fyffe of £60 at knifepoint.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the cannabis addict carried out the crimes in Balfour Road, just yards from his flat.

Ms Recorder Bobbie Cheema handed him an indeterminate sentence of detention to protect the public.

The judge said Rhodes, who has a string of convictions for violence, drugs and robbery, posed a "significant risk of serious harm to members of the public."

The court heard that Rhodes had been linked to three further armed robberies in the same street but charges had to be dropped.

Mr Fyffe was making his way home from a concert at midnight when Rhodes and his accomplice struck.

The judge told Rhodes: "You and your friend both took hold of knives and planned to rob a passenger who had got off at a railway station in Ilford.

"Mr Fyffe had done nothing wrong, he had simply been to a concert that night and was making his way home."

He was armed with a meat cleaver days later when he robbed Mr Vora.

"That meat cleaver was held at that man's stomach while one of you searched him," said the judge.

Rhodes was arrested the following day and found with a large collection of knives in his possession.

Raphael Jesurum, defending, said Rhodes, had been largely homeless since the age of 14 and was battling his cannabis addiction.

Rhodes, of Ilford, admitted two counts of robbery, two counts of having an offensive weapon and conspiracy to rob.

He denied three further counts of robbery involving cash and mobile phones and three counts of having an offensive weapon.
The judge ordered those remaining charges to lie on the court file.

Rhodes must serve a minimum of two and a half years before a parole board can consider his release.