- Abdi Abdi, 19, of Aston, Birmingham, represented Birchfield Harriers
- Denise Lewis and Mark Lewis-Francis started their careers with club
- But he was convicted of firearms and robbery offences after a trial
- Athlete robbed 'vulnerable' teenagers of bikes and mobile phones
The running career of Abdi Abdi lies in ruins after he was convicted of firearms and robbery offences
A promising athlete from the same club which trained some of Britain’s top Olympians has been jailed for robbing teenagers at gunpoint.
Abdi Abdi, 19, of Aston, Birmingham, represented Birchfield Harriers - where gold medallists Denise Lewis, Mark Lewis-Francis and Kelly Sotherton all started their careers.
But his running career now lies in ruins after he was convicted of firearms and robbery offences committed outside the running club’s Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birmingham, which also hosts the UK Athletics British Grand Prix.
A court heard he robbed ‘vulnerable’ teenagers of expensive bikes and mobile phones at a BMX and skateboarding track just half-a-mile away from the famous stadium.
Adbi admitted one firearms charge and was convicted of two more as well as three robbery offences after a trial in December. He was sentenced to four years’ detention at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.
Sentencing, Judge Michael Chambers QC
said: ‘During the trial your coach spoke about your considerable ability as an athlete and this is the tragedy of this case.
‘You were a promising athlete who had sponsorship and did not need to rob other people. My conclusion is you enjoyed the thrill and peer group esteem from these offences.
‘You and two other Somali young men targeted vulnerable teenage boys with expensive BMX bicycles and mobile phones who frequented the skate park.
‘I am quite satisfied, having heard the evidence, that you planned to rob them.
Firearm: The court heard officers found a gun (above) inside his gym bag but the athlete told them he had found it in bushes and was going to hand it in
Scene: Abdi committed the offences outside Birchfield Harriers running club's Alexander Stadium (pictured) in Perry Barr, Birmingham, which also hosts the UK Athletics British Grand Prix
'You went there late at night and you were armed with an imitation firearm, a gas-powered BB gun which had the appearance of a real handgun.
I am also satisfied you were the ringleader.’
The court heard Abdi and two other men picked on lads as young as 15 and produced a gas-powered handgun to force them to hand over belongings.
In the first hold-up, the teenager pushed a realistic-looking BB gun into a 16-year-old’s neck and back before the victim fled on June 5 last year.
The athlete went back to the park ten days later and robbed three 15-year-olds of their bikes and phones at gunpoint.
But Adbi was caught on June 23 when three teenagers saw him cycling through the track in Perry Park and recognised his BMX as stolen.
They alerted police who arrived and were forced to use a Taser before arresting the talented runner.
The court heard officers found the gun inside his gym bag but the athlete told them he had found it in bushes and was going to hand it in.
Abdi committed six robberies between April and June last year where almost £3,000 property was stolen.
You enjoyed the thrill and peer group esteem from these offences
Judge Michael Chambers QC
Balvinder Bhatti, defending, said the athlete was still motivated to continue his running training after his release.
She added: ‘The tragedy of this case is that everything you have heard about Abdi and read about him is at odds with the seriousness of the offences for which he has been convicted.’
Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Laurence Green, of West Midlands Police, said: ‘A search of Abdi’s back pack revealed the handgun, although he said that he had found it in bushes and was intending to hand it in to police.
‘He further maintained that he had bought the BMX bike from a man in Alum Rock for £50 and had no knowledge that it was stolen.
‘The lads were aware of the number of robberies happening in the area involving a firearm and the warnings being issued by police to visitors in the park, yet they bravely chased after the offender.’
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