What A plank: Robber Starting Prison Term For Brutal Robbery

A robber, who repeatedly struck his middle-aged victim over the head with a plank of wood – inflicting a broken nose and cuts to the head – has been locked-up.

Jody Cole, 44, struck in the dark near Earl's Court Underground Station at 11.10pm on Tuesday, December 2, 2022, leaving his victim – aged in his fifties – bloodied and unconscious.

At Inner London Crown Court Cole, of Nunhead Lane, Nunhead, south-east London received three years and four months imprisonment.

He pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and two counts of assaulting police officers who intervened.

As the victim approached the station from Warwick Road, Cole was approaching on a bicycle. 

He dismounted, ran towards the victim from behind and struck him over the head with a plank of wood.

The victim fell to the floor, and Cole continued to strike him repeatedly across the head and body until the victim fell unconscious.

Cole began to rummage through the victim’s pockets while he was laying on the ground, taking his wallet which contained his bank cards and driving licence.

Cole attempted to flee but two Metropolitan Police officers, who had been alerted to the incident by members of the public, had rushed to the scene to help.

He punched and kicked at both of the officers in the middle of the road and managed to escape the scene after a car run over one of the officer's feet.

The officers immediately administered first aid to the victim, who was bleeding profusely from his head. 

He was taken to hospital with a broken nose and several cuts and wounds across his head.

Later in the evening, at around 11.40pm, Cole attempted to use the stolen cards in a nearby supermarket on the same road.

An urgent investigation was launched and an image of Cole was distributed to multiple police forces in an attempt to identify him. 

A British Transport Police officer recognised Cole having previously interacted with him, and Cole was then arrested.

Detective Constable Richard Rowe said: "I'm very pleased with the outcome in this case. 

“Cole is a depraved individual who brutally assaulted his victim in an unprovoked attack, in full view of other commuters and the public.

"I also want to commend the actions of the two officers from the Metropolitan Police, who put themselves in harm's way while attempting to protect the victim and detain Cole.

"I hope that this sentence provides the victims with a sense of closure, and underscores our commitment to the travelling public that there is absolutely no place for behaviour like this on the railway network."