Duo accused of robbing student for his overdraft savings

A student was robbed at knifepoint in his own bedroom after two men found out he had been saving cash to pay off his bank overdraft, a court has heard.
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Victim Benjamin Sweeney is said to have become angry when the men turned on him in his halls of residence on Moor Lane and tried to fight back, sustaining serious knife wound to his hands and tendon damage.

Jurors were told he even chased duo Chavez Johnson and Ik Sey after the pair stole £300 cash from a box in his bedside drawer on April 19 last year.

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Johnson, 20, of Cameron Drive, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, and Sey, 19, of Buxton House, London, deny robbery.

Sey also denies possessing an offensive weapon.

The pair are on trial at Preston’s Sessions House Court.

Prosecuting, David Bentley said the victim had met Johnson in a nightclub and become friendly with him in April 2016.

During a night out at Evoque on Church Street, Preston, he had mentioned in conversation that he saved cash to pay off his student overdraft.

The robbery is alleged to have taken place a few weeks later, jurors heard, when he agreed to buy some cannabis from Johnson.

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Johnson and Sey attended his halls of residence on Moor Lane and followed him into his room.

Mr Bentley said: “When he turned to face them he saw they had covered their faces with balaclavas.

“Mr Johnson started saying: ‘We are here for your money, we won’t leave until we get it. Keep calm and you won’t get hurt.’

“The complainant was of course very scared.

“At that time he saw Mr Sey had a knife.” (proceeding)