MEMBERS of a robbery gang who carried out a series of attacks in Bolton town centre are due to face sentence.

At Bolton Crown Court the case against 20-year-old Mesaadi Saaed, Baha Kadum, aged 26 and Mustafa Aldulaimi, aged 22, was outlined to the judge, Tom Gilbart.

Adam Lodge, prosecuting, told how the defendants, along with others, would surround their victims as they walked through the town centre at night and robbed them of their possessions, including phones, bank cards and money.

The offences took place over a month-long period in February and March 2020.

The gang’s ringleader, 19-year-old Munther Alothman has already been sentenced to five years in prison for the part he played in the crimes.

Mr Lodge told the court how Alothman, Aldulaimi and Kadum were all involved in the robbery of a college student just before 7pm on February 13.

The victim was walking home on Folds Road when he was approached by Alothman near the junction with Turton Street who pushed him down a dark side street.

“The male tightened his grip and two more males appeared and approached the victim, one of whom threw a punch which connected to the right side of the victim’s face,” said Mr Lodge, who added that the student was searched and his Samsung Galaxy phone and debit card taken with one of the attacker demanding its pin number.

“Another of the males said,’ you have two minutes to run away’ and the victim fled,”

He reported his bank card stolen but not before the attackers had used it to withdraw £300 from the cashpoint at Sainsburys.

Police examined CCTV footage and identified Alothman, Aldulaimi and Kadum as the attackers.

In a victim statement read out in court the student said he is now frightened to walk to and from college on his own.

Aldulaimi and Saaed took part in the robbery of two schoolboys, aged 15 and 14, at 6.30pm on February 23 as they walked from McDonald's to the train station.

The boys were passing the Olympus chip shop when they were surrounded by three men wearing balaclavas.

The 15-year-old was pulled down an alleyway and punched in the ribs and jaw, before his pockets were searched and £7 taken.

One of the attackers told the frightened boy, "I've got a knife and I'll kill you. I'll leave you bleeding", although a knife was not produced.

The victim's 14-year-old friend had the iPhone he had been given as a Christmas present, worth £1,000, stolen.

In a victim statement the younger boy said: "I thought I may be stabbed. I don't think I will be able to walk through the town centre alone late at night again."

The gang's fourth victim was Kelan McGuinness, who was attacked after a night out on March 12 with a friend in the town centre.

He was walking along Bradshawgate near Silverwell Street when he spotted several men.

"The next thing he he was aware of was being punched to the face and dragged down the street," said Mr Lodge, who added that the victim's phone and car keys were stolen.

"Mr McGuinness is unsure whether he was rendered unconscious but he described his mind as being a blank, suggesting to him that he was hit with some force."

Police found Saaed crouching next to a parked car and his co-accused, Aldulaimi was identified on CCTV.

Kadum, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, Saaed, of Slater Street, Bolton, to two offences of robbery and Aldulaimi, of Pleasant Terrace, Dukinfield, to four robberies.

Rebecca Caulfield, defending Saeed, said he came to the UK from Italy in 2019 and fell in with the gang for protection. She added that he plans to return to Italy once he has served his sentence for the robberies and dangerous driving offences he is also in prison for.

Robin Kitching, defending Kadum, stressed that he had only been involved in one of the robberies, which he only became aware of minutes before it happened.

Joshua Bowker will mitigate on Aldulaimi's behalf on Friday, when Judge Gilbart will pass sentence.