A MAN has been jailed for robbery after a “bizarre” exchange where he appeared to mistake his victim for another man before assaulting him and stealing his car.

Plumber Samual Key had been working at a house in Pill on October 16 last year, and after finishing at around 8.45pm, he returned to his car and rolled down the driver’s side window to smoke a cigarette before leaving.

Fathal Moshen then appeared and walked towards the car and shouted ‘Yo’ and asking Mr Key where he was from. When he replied, Moshen said: ‘Yeah, you’re the boy’.

Moshen pointed at the victim’s phone, and leant through the window and took the victim’s keys.

“He had his hands in his pocket and said he had a knife,” the prosecution said. Mr Key had said that although he didn’t see a knife, the defendant did have something in his pocket which led him to believe he might be armed.

Mr Key told Moshen he had the wrong person, but the defendant walked around the car and got into the passenger seat.

“He accused the victim of only being in the vehicle to pick up a girl,” said the prosecution.

Mr Key got out of the car, and Moshen punched him in the face.

“He felt fluid in his eye which he later found out to be blood,” the court heard.

Mr Key fled to the house he had been working in and called the police, but could only watch as Moshen drove off in his car.

The police discovered the vehicle on Francis Drive, and Moshen was found nearby and arrested at around 10.30pm. He initially denied being in the area, but his alibi told officers he hadn’t been with her. He later pleaded guilty to robbery.

Moshen has 35 previous convictions for “a multitude of offences”.

In a letter addressed to the defendant, Mr Key said: “I was a stranger to you, who had never done anything to you, but your actions on that Sunday have had a devastating impact on me.

“Mentally I am still living with the fear.”

Stuart John, representing Moshen, admitted the offence was so serious that only an immediate prison sentence would suffice.

Mr John described the interaction as “bizarre”, and added: “The defendant was potentially under the influence of some sort of illegal drugs or was in some sort of drug-induced psychosis.

“He recognises that his behaviour on the night in question must’ve had a huge impact on the life of this young man.

“He says it is not an action he would ever wish to repeat and wants to make the appropriate changes.”

Moshen had completed several courses in prison, Mr John said, including for drug and alcohol awareness and thinking skills.

Recorder Christopher Felstead sentenced Moshen to three years in prison.