Men who blackmailed teenage victims and tried to spend money in Peterborough jailed

Cobi Thomas, 19, of Beaton Crescent and Haroon Mohammed, 19, of Sallowbush Road, called an associate on 27 December, 2019 and asked to meet him in Brampton.

When the victim, aged 18, arrived with his two friends also aged 18, the pair got into his vehicle.

Mohammed asked to be driven to a nearby garage and after sending one of the victims into the shop for cigarettes, Thomas moved into the front passengers’ seat.

Thomas told the driver to do as he said or ‘we’ll stab you’.

Mohammed began making threats towards the occupants and told them to empty their pockets.

One was forced to open his online banking on his phone and transfer £250 into an unknown account.

The boys were told to put their phone in aeroplane mode and forced to drive from cash point to cash point so one of the victims could withdraw large sums of cash.

During the four hour ordeal, Mohammed put the driver into a chokehold and punched another. He also took over driving the car, driving dangerously and doing speeds of 100mph.

Thomas and Mohammed were then driven back to Brampton where, before leaving they forced one of the boys to hand over his bank card and pin number.

The next day the pair attempted to buy clothing and jewellery in Peterborough but the card was declined. However, they did manage to withdraw £500 from two cash points.

In total they took £1,500 from the three victims.

While investigating the incident and their bank records, detectives found another victim who had been targeted on 26 December when he was contacted by Thomas on Snapchat.

The victim, aged 19, met Thomas in his vehicle and was joined by Mohammed. They forced him to transfer £500 into an unknown bank account or ‘get a slap’.

The pair then forced him to drive to the bank account holders’ home where the £500 was handed to Mohammed.

At Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (14 May) Thomas was sentenced to four years in a young offenders institute after previously pleading guilty to four counts of blackmail and five counts of fraud by false representation.

Mohammed was sentenced to four years and two months in a young offenders institute after previously pleading guilty to four counts of blackmail, five counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of assault and one count of dangerous driving. He’s also been disqualified from driving for two years.

Detective Constable Marcus Johnson, who led the investigation, said: “This was a complex investigation involving a significant amount of money being stolen from four young men by two determined and violent individuals who believed they would not be caught.

“I would like to thank the victims who were brave enough to come forward to ensure this pair are now behind bars.”