This is Staffordshire --TWO men who chased a mugger after he attacked a 14-year-old girl say they only did what anyone else would have done.
Christian Hankey, of Linden Grove, Cross Heath, was jailed last week after he snatched a schoolgirl's mobile phone as she walked alone on Dimsdale Parade, in Wolstanton.
The 20-year-old had tried to rob another female victim half-an-hour earlier and was only caught after members of the public saw the second attack.
Carl Richardson and Adam Garbar had been separately driving past the young girl when they saw Hankey come up behind her and grab her phone around lunchtime on August 3.
She fought to try to hold onto it but he pushed her, causing her to stagger, and he then ran off with the phone.
Mr Garbar, of Keary Street, Stoke, was in his girlfriend's car travelling past the teenager when the attack happened. The 24-year-old said: "My girlfriend was driving the car past The Wulstan pub just as the boy was putting his arm around the girl. We didn't know at first if it was just a couple, then he ran in front of the car.
"I think anyone would have done the same, it was just natural instinct."
Mr Richardson, of Dimsdale Parade, was driving home from Hanley when he saw the robbery unfold from his rear view mirror.
He stopped his car and joined Mr Garbar in a dramatic ten-minute pursuit of Hankey through the gardens of nearby homes.
The 42-year-old said: "I didn't really think anything about it at the time. You get a bit of adrenaline when you start running.
"What shocked me was it was in broad daylight and on a main road. It wasn't in a back street. I've served ten years in the police as a special constable and I've seen all sorts.
"But when you're a civilian and you're just going about your own business you don't expect to see something like that. It's something I would have done for anybody."
Other bystanders joined in the chase, during which Hankey dropped the stolen phone. He was eventually cornered by Mr Garbar and Mr Richardson, who handed him over to police.
He was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court to 20 months in custody for robbery, and 12 months to run consecutively for a burglary he committed on February 17, 2010. Judge Paul Glenn said Mr Garbar and Mr Richardson should each receive a £250 reward for their part in catching him. Reported by This is 3 days ago.