Three men who intimidated and robbed people of their mobile phones in parks have been sentenced.

The three men and one male youth took part in robberies at Rosehill Woods and Sears Park in September 2011.

They approached and intimidated their victims into giving up their mobile phones.

Police arrested all four of the men ten minutes after they received reports of three robberies at Rosehill Woods on September 22.

Enquiries led the police to suspect the same four individuals were responsible for three robberies two days earlier.

They were subsequently arrested during November and sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on February 9.

Dean Curdie, 19, of Eastfields Road, Mitcham, pleaded guilty to one robbery at Rosehill and one at Sears Park. He was sentenced to 18 months in Young Offender’s Institution.

James Savage, 18, of Parkview Drive, Mitcham, also pleaded guilty to one robbery at Rosehill and one at Sears Park - and an unrelated ABH. He was sentenced to 24 months in a Young Offender’s Institution.

A 16-year-old youth, who was 15 at the time of the offence, also pleaded guilty to one robbery at Rosehill and one at Sears Park. He was sentenced to 12 months Detention and Training Order in a Secure Young Person’s Centre.

The fourth individual was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on the March 30, after pleading guilty to one robbery at Rosehill after being found in possession of a stolen phone.

Wilfred Matuki-Matheiu, 19, of Western Road, Mitcham, was sentenced to ten months in prison suspended for 24 months. He was also ordered to do 160 hours unpaid work.