Thug attacks Pembroke busker and then steals benefit money

A busker was punched in the face at least 30 times by a friend who effectively beat his bank card pin number out of him, a court has heard.

Jordan Cooney, 28, from Pembrokeshire, attacked and robbed the victim - a busker he had befriended on the streets - shortly before his benefits money was due to arrive in his account at midnight.

Once he had the man's pin, Jordan Cooney was spotted on CCTV withdrawing £500 from the victim's account.

He tried to withdraw the rest of the money in the man's account but was unable to because of the daily transaction limit.

Swansea Crown Court heard on the evening of 26 September this year, Cooney and his partner went round to the victim's flat, where the defendant sometimes stayed.

Shortly before midnight, Cooney launched his attack, leaving the man bleeding from cuts around his eyes and with a badly swollen and bruised face.

The judge said it was a "miracle" the victim was not more severely injured after the defendant "rained down" punches on him.

Although he initially refused to give Cooney the pin, the defendant repeatedly told the man he knew he was getting "paid," referring to benefit payments.

Cooney punched the man a further 10 to 15 times until he agreed to reveal the pin.

Prosecutor Dean Pulling told the court that during the attack the defendant told the busker: "I want your bank card, I want your pin." He was said to have "punctuated" the sentence by punching the victim between each word.

Once the attack ended, the victim tried to escape but was dragged back into the flat and warned he should not call the police.

The victim retreated to his bedroom, where he waited until he heard the attacker leave.

Police were called by the busker and found Cooney in the Monkton area of Pembroke, where he was arrested. Searching him, police found the defendant was carrying two small bags of cocaine.

In an interview with police, the defendant denied the assault and said the victim had asked him to withdraw the money before it was all taken by direct debits. Cooney said he then gave the money to his friend, who was unharmed when he left him at his flat.

He said there were two unidentified men in the flat when he left, though.

The victim said he had never been hit so hard and he is so traumatised he has given up busking, having met Cooney whilst performing.

Defending Cooney, Stuart John said his client had an "ingrained" drug habit and was suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of experiences in his childhood. He added Cooney was waiting to see a psychiatrist.

Mr John said Cooney "bitterly regrets" what he did.

Prior to sentencing, Jordan Cooney, of Dewing Avenue, Manorbier, Pembrokeshire, pleaded guilty to robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, fraud by false representation by using the victim's bank card and possession of cocaine.

Earlier this year, Cooney was sentenced to eight weeks in prison for breaching a domestic violence protection order and, at the time of the attack, was on court bail having pleaded guilty to theft at a Magistrates' court a few days earlier.

With a one-quarter discount for his guilty pleas, Cooney was sentenced to five years and three months in prison.

He will serve up to half of that period in custody, before being released on licence to serve the rest in the community.

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