A MAN from Dorchester has been jailed for seven months after attempting to rob a 12-year-old boy in an alleyway.

Sean Wheeldon, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Dorchester Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to the charge of attempted robbery.

Prosecuting, Ms Archer told the court at around 4pm on July 9, the 12-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was walking down an alleyway towards a playing fields in the town to play football with his friends.

Ms Archer said that in his police interview, the boy told officers when he first saw Wheeldon, he was clearly drunk, slumped against a van holding a beer bottle with a number of other beer bottles by his side.

He then stood up and threw the beer bottles and placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders as he was leaving the alleyway.

He then held him against a fence and demanded money, saying: “If you don’t give me your money I will beat you up,” Ms Archer said.

Ms Archer added: “The defendant was clearly in drink and unstable on his feet, but he managed to hold the victim against the fence.

“The victim had no money on him and managed to get away from him, before returning home and telling his mother, who then phoned the police.”

Wheeldon was found by police later that evening, and was still drunk, she added.

Ms Archer then read out an impact statement given by the 12-year-old to police, in which he said he was “more cautious” when he goes out now.

He also said he feels anxious and has has trouble sleeping.

In mitigation, Mr Nicholas Robinson said: “This is a very sad case because of the harm done to the victim.

“Wheeldon wishes to express an apology to the boy for the effects of his frightening, criminal behaviour.

“Just days before the incident, he suffered two traumas, the first one of his fiancée leaving him and the second being his dad passing away around two weeks before.

“He couldn’t cope with the emotions running through him.

“He drank to excess and the best thing to ever happen to him, even though he might not agree with it, was getting caught.”

In sentencing, Judge Field said: “Your victim was only 12 and it must have been a frightening experience for him.

“If this was the full offence of robbery, the sentence would be longer but I take into account it was an attempted robbery.”

Wheeldon had been remanded in custody since his initial arrest and Judge Field said that time would be taken off his seven-month sentence.