Thug who attacked and robbed UoL fresher jailed

A homeless druggie befriended fresher Thomas Dowson on a night out before going back to his halls, tying his hands and robbing him.

Mark Sinnott pleaded guilty to robbery

Dowson had been celebrating the MathSoc Ball back in December when he became separated from his friends and invited Sinnott, 41, back to his halls at Roscoe and Gladstone.

Dowson, who was described as being “very drunk”, had a bottle of gin smashed over his head by Sinnott as soon as they were in his room before being told to “sit the fuck down”.

The jury at Liverpool Crown Court were told by Derek Jones, prosecuting, that a struggle ensued before Sinnott tied Dowson’s hands behind his back with his tie.

Greenbank Halls where the incident happened

A worried flatmate knocked on Dowson’s door after hearing the disturbance.  They called security after Sinnott forced Dowson to answer the door and say everything was alright.

Sinnott got away by jumping from a second floor window with Dowson’s laptop, iPhone and bankcards before the police arrived.

However, police recognised Sinnott- who has a string of previous convictions- from the halls’ CCTV and identified DNA left on the gin bottle.

Mark Sinnott pleaded guilty to robbery at Liverpool Crown Court and was sentenced to six years and three months.

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