Teen robbery gang attacked boy, 16 in city centre
Northumbria PoliceA teenager who was part of a large gang of youths which stalked and attacked a 16-year-old boy in a city centre and robbed him of his coat, bag and phone has been jailed for four years and eight months.
Mohammed Moufareh, 19, was seen wearing the victim's £250 coat shortly after the robbery in Newcastle in January 2023, the city's crown court heard.
The victim said he had feared for his life after Moufareh's group followed him and his friend through the city centre and pounced.
Moufareh admitted robbery. He also pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply, possessing a weaponised bottle of ammonia and handling stolen goods following separate incidents.
The 16-year-old victim and his friend were confronted by a group of about 14 youths, some of whom were wearing balaclavas over their faces, in Northumberland Street at about 20:00 GMT on 14 January 2023, prosecutor Daisy Wrigley said.
The pair had ignored the group after one of the youths said "nice coat", but were followed to a McDonald's and then towards Haymarket Metro station, the court heard.
Repeatedly punched
The two victims ran to St Mary's Place in the hope of getting help but there was no-one there, the court heard.
As his friend managed to get away to raise the alarm, the 16-year-old was surrounded by the gang, pinned against a fence and repeatedly punched in the face by multiple people, the court heard.
One person also threatened to stab him, the court heard.
He was then robbed of his coat, which had his £600 phone in the pocket, and a £50 bag, Ms Wrigley said.
Minutes later, Moufareh, of Old Fold in Gateshead, was seen on CCTV wearing the coat, while his fingerprints were found on the stolen phone which had been hidden beneath a rock next to the Civic Centre.
Judge Gavin Doig said Moufareh, who was 16 at the time, was "at the centre" of the gang attack.
In a statement read to the court, the victim said he and his friend had gone to Newcastle for a fun night out but he was made to feel as if his life was threatened by "a much larger group" who deliberately targeted and attacked him.
'Acting the big one'
At about 19:00 GMT on 23 November 2023, Moufareh was stopped and searched by police after he was seen handing over a package in a suspected drug deal near Haymarket Metro station, the court heard.
He was found to have a juice bottle containing ammonium hydroxide and £100-worth of crack cocaine, Ms Wrigley said.
On 25 June 2025, while on bail for those offences, Moufareh and two others were found in possession of a coat and bag which had just been stolen from a 16-year-old boy who was robbed when the victim arranged a meeting to sell an e-bike, the court heard.
In mitigation, Tony Cornberg said Moufareh, who moved to the UK at the age of six, had turned his back on a "good family" and was "acting the big one", but now wanted to turn his life around and become a barber.
Another youth, 19-year-old Kalalu Berhane from Byker, was given a 12 moth community order with 100 hours unpaid work after being found guilty of handling stolen goods in relation to the items stolen from the e-bike seller.
