A MAN was struck over the head with a cheese grater and had his expensive designer coat stolen in a terrifying robbery.

The police helicopter and dog units were also scrambled to catch the perpetrators, who were located in woodland after making off.

The trio of Matteo D’Agostino, Mavis Oghide and Emmanuel Ushieagu were later charged and all convicted of robbery.

Oghide, now aged 23, also admitted criminal damage, while D’Agostino, also 23, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place.

The case was outlined by Fiona McNeill, prosecuting, who explained how Oghide and Ushieagu, the latter now aged 21, were due to stand trial after pleading not guilty.

However, they then admitted the offence on the basis that the victim was not threatened and the robbery was not pre-planned. D’Agostino pleaded guilty at an earlier stage.

Just after 11pm on April 13, 2020 – in the midst of the first Covid lockdown – a window was smashed at a home on Handley Drive in Padgate by Oghide with a hammer.

This was a targeted attack, with the group on a revenge attack mission for an earlier incident before making off from the scene, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Wednesday, May 31.

The trio stumbled across a man smoking a cigarette on Pocklington Court a short time later and asked him what he was wearing, before hitting him to the head a number of times with a shiny metal object.

This was later deemed to be a cheese grater used by Ushieagu, with the group having their hoods up with black face masks on.

Ushieagu and D’Agostino started to forcibly remove the victim’s black Canada Goose coat, worth hundreds of pounds and containing his wallet and car key. Oghide watched on, before the three ran away with the clothing item.

The victim called 999 following the incident and officers located three men walking down Hilden Road matching the description given to them.

They ran away when approached, leading to the force deploying dog units and the police helicopter to follow heat sources.

They were all arrested at around midnight, with officers recovering a lock knife and the victim’s wallet, with the stolen jacket found nearby and the hammer.

Ms McNeill informed the court that both Oghide and D’Agostino have no previous convictions, while Ushieagu has one for a public order offence, for which he was handed a community order.

The trio were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court

The trio were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court

In defence of Oghide, Claire Brocklebank said that while his behaviour was ‘very immature’, it was ‘completely out of character’ and something which the defendant is ‘remorseful for and ashamed of’.

She added that Oghide has stayed out of trouble in the three years since the offence, has finished his business management degree and is working as a full-time carer.

Charlotte Kenny, defending D’Agostino, highlighted his frank admissions during his police interview, the fact that it was ‘out of character’ and his ‘sense of shame’.

“He has had a shock to the system, but there is ample scope to work with him,” she said, adding that his family is ‘appalled but supportive to ensure this does not happen again’.

The court heard that D’Agostino has a ‘very good future ahead of him’, working a key role in the family restaurant business.

In mitigation for Ushieagu, Joanne Maxwell said that he has matured in past three years, is ‘remorseful and shameful’ and is a ‘wholly different person’.

He has gained employment as a carer and is completing a degree in mental health nursing, and he is also due to become a father soon.

“I ask the court not to ruin this young man’s prospects going forward through immediate custody,” Ms Maxwell added.

Before sentencing, judge Robert Trevor Jones said: “All three of you were together late at night that night.

“If you had a knife, a hammer and a cheese grater and were using them as weapons, it does not take much imagination you were up to some serious mischief.”

Ushieagu, now of Federation Road in Burslem, near Stoke-on-Trent, and Oghide, of Secker Avenue in Latchford, were both sentenced to 21 months in custody suspended for 18 months.

They must also complete 160 hours of unpaid work, while the former was handed 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and the latter given 30 days.

D’Agostino meanwhile, of Bridge Street in the town centre, was sentenced to 18 months in custody suspended for 18 months, as well as 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 180 hours of unpaid work.

In addition, the court approved an order for the forfeiture and destruction of the weapons seized.