Man jailed after robbing and throwing hot coffee over elderly man in Piccadilly Gardens

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A mugshot of Simon Quest / Credit: GMP

A man who robbed an elderly man in Piccadilly Gardens earlier this year, leaving him “disoriented”, has now been jailed.

Simon Quest appeared on trial at Bolton Crown Court this week.

The court heard how, on Thursday 6 June 2024, the 37-year-old robbed a man while he was walking through Piccadilly Gardens by following the victim on his bike, throwing a cup of coffee over him which caused him to fall over, and then proceeding to rummage through the victim’s pockets.

Quest managed to steal the victim’s phone before fleeing the area, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained.

Following this shocking incident, a police investigation was launched by detectives within GMP’s ‘Operation Vulcan’ team, and a short while later, Quest was then arrested in Piccadilly Gardens – with police recovering bolt cutters, Mercedes wheel locks, and a man bag from him.

Quest pleaded not guilty to the offence, but following a two-day trial at Bolton Crown Court, the jury found him guilty in just 18 minutes.

He has now been jailed for four years and six months for robbery. 

According to Detective Constable James Hayes, Quest had shown “no remorse for his deplorable actions throughout the entire process”.

“Our victim was left completely disoriented and was unable to defend himself, and Quest took this opportunity to steal his phone,” DC Hayes continued.

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“I’d like to thank the members of the public who rushed to help the victim but also stayed at the scene to share witness statements with us, as their assistance and continued support have been crucial to securing this conviction.”

Featured Image – GMP