Teen assaulted pair while trying to rob car keys in Penketh

Kyle Ashton, of Elston Avenue in Newton-le-Willows, left one male with bumps and bruises after becoming involved in a tussle and had another in a headlock.

The 19-year-old was tanked up on a combination of cocaine and vodka at the time of the offence, which was described as ‘extremely nasty and thuggish’.

After being unsuccessful in his attempts to obtain the keys, he demanded that the coat one of the men was carrying be handed over.

Ashton was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to two counts of assault with the intention to rob.

Michael Stephenson, prosecuting, described how the two victims were walking down Well Lane in Penketh on March 31, 2019, with their girlfriends and a couple of other people at around 3am.

The first victim was heading to his car to get some cigarettes when he became aware of a group of three males walking along the road ahead of them.

The defendant – aged 17 at the time and the only one of the three to get involved – turned around and asked who was driving the car.

The male said it was not him, to which Ashton accused him of lying. The victim carried on walking, but the defendant persisted to demand the keys to the car, becoming more and more aggressive.

The altercation happened on Well Lane in Penketh (Image: Google Maps)

Ashton then punched his victim to the back of the head before a tussle ensued on the ground. He then set upon his second victim, demanding his coat and getting him into a headlock.

The second victim refused to hand over his coat but handed the defendant £5 in an attempt to bring the confrontation to an end.

Ashton was identified by his victims in an identity parade, with the lengthy delay before sentencing attributable to further police investigations to place him in the vicinity at the time.

In defence of her client, Sarah Griffin referred to Ashton’s pre-sentence report compiled by the probation service, which described him as someone with an ‘immature attitude’.

She added: “Now is the time for the defendant to engage with the probation service for rehabilitation to take place.”

The court heard how Ashton had ‘limited’ previous convictions, but this did not sway judge Thomas Teague to suspend his sentence.

He said: “These were extremely nasty and thuggish offences, and you have shown little remorse or empathy for your victims.

“I am not satisfied that there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, and because this was a particularly nasty incident, the public should see an appropriate punishment.”

Ashton was sentenced to eight months detention in a young offender’s institute.