A thug out of prison for just 11 days repeatedly stabbed a man after robbing him of £20 at a cashpoint.
In what a judge described as an act of “extreme and gratuitous” violence, Robbie Dunn viciously attacked Robert Mitchell in Dover town centre on May 20 last year.
Robbie Dunn, 24, of Dover, repeatedly stabbed a man after robbing him of £20 at a cashpoint after being released from prison.
Mr Mitchell later told police he feared he would die and could not understand why someone he thought was a ‘friend’ could behave in that way.
Dunn, from Dover, had only just been released from jail for offences which included an attack on his father.
Now he faces many more years behind bars after a judge ruled he continues to pose a danger to the public.
Canterbury Crown Court heard on Friday (January 10) that the 24-year-old, who is also a convicted sex offender, targeted his victim – Robert Mitchell – shortly after midnight.
The pair knew each other but Mr Mitchell had not seen his assailant for several years.
It was after being followed by Dunn from various cashpoints and eventually withdrawing £150 that he was robbed and then attacked.
“Dunn confronted him, threatening him and pushing him up against a wall shouting something like ‘Give us your money’. At some point Mr Mitchell gave him £20,” said prosecutor Laurence Imrie.
Despite being handed cash, Dunn continued to pursue his victim, who was with a second man, and by the time violence erupted, he was brandishing a knife.
The court heard Mr Mitchell had also armed himself with a blade or chisel.
It was the prosecution case, however, that this was a second weapon belonging to Dunn which he had dropped or which had been taken from him and handed to Mr Mitchell in order to defend himself.
The sentencing hearing was held at Canterbury Crown Court
Although CCTV captured him swiping his arm at Dunn with the implement, he never made any contact.
But Mr Mitchell was then stabbed multiple times, with the assault continuing even as he lay prone and defenceless on the ground.
It was only when a woman intervened that Dunn stopped the onslaught and fled the scene.
“The prosecution case is that Dunn violently attacked Mr Mitchell, repeatedly made stabbing motions at him and dragged him to the ground,” Mr Imrie told the court.
“He continued to attack him despite him being on the ground, laying down, while Dunn stood above him. He continued to stab repeatedly and he only stopped when approached (by the female).”
The prosecutor added that the robbery had also involved threats of violence with a knife although one was not produced at that time.
Referring to Mr Mitchell having armed himself shortly before he was knifed, Mr Imrie explained: “It is accepted he swung a weapon at Dunn but, at the same time, it was as Dunn was approaching him with a bladed article and with menace.”
Mr Mitchell was taken to London’s Kings College Hospital suffering from six puncture wounds to his neck and arms and was discharged two days later.
Dunn, of Christchurch Way, was arrested but initially denied he had even been out that night.
However, he later pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, robbery and threatening another with a bladed article.
In a victim impact statement read to the court at the sentencing hearing, Mr Mitchell said: “I have never been so scared in my life.
“I thought I was going to die. I have never seen so much blood before. I thought he was my friend and I have never done anything to upset him.
“I’m terrified he will kill me when he sees me again. I still can’t believe what has happened.”
Dunn has six previous convictions for nine offences, including assault, affray and sexually abusing a child.
The court heard during the attack on his father in November 2020 Dunn punched him several times and left him unconscious.
Although jailed for that crime, and others, the following year and then later released, he was subsequently recalled on licence in 2023 before being freed again on May 9 last year.
Ben Irwin, defending in respect of the latest offences, said it was disputed Dunn had been armed with two weapons that night.
But the court was told it was accepted by the entrenched drug addict – hooked on crack cocaine by the time he was 17 – that he attacked his victim “beyond lawful bounds” and was not acting in self-defence.
Explaining the circumstances of the robbery and knifing, Mr Irwin said the defendant had come out of prison to find himself homeless and immediately began abusing class A drugs.
He then “bumped into” Mr Mitchell and another man and believed they were responsible for him having lost money or drugs in the past.
It was in his “doubtless confused and drug-addled state”, said the barrister, that he attacked the victim.
“He behaved in a way which he describes himself as disgusting,” said Mr Irwin. “In his mind, they were responsible for him losing drugs and he wanted them to assist him in obtaining drugs.
“He is remorseful. He spoke to the pre-sentence report author of his disgust at his behaviour.”
Mr Irwin said Dunn was now “highly focused” on serving his jail sentence and while on remand had engaged with health and social care charity, Change Grow Live.
“He knows he needs help and is calling out for it. He demonstrates a desire to reform….and hopefully get on with a decent life, rid of his drug addiction,” added the lawyer.
Passing a nine-year extended sentence for public protection in light of Dunn being considered a dangerous offender, Judge Simon James said he had carried out a “prolonged and persistent attack” while undeterred by the fact his victim had “flicked” out with a weapon in an effort to “warn him off”.
He added it was “more through luck than judgement” that none of the inflicted injuries proved to be more serious than they were.
Jailing Dunn for six years – of which he will have to serve at least two-thirds before he can apply for parole – Judge James said: “Anyone capable of using such extreme and gratuitous violence must be considered as posing a considerable risk to the public – a view fortified by the fact this offence represents a significant escalation in a pattern of offending that has already seen you in prison.
“You are certainly an individual who poses a significant risk of harm to others.”
When released, Dunn will have a further three years added to any licence period.
Judge James added that apart from age, there were “no meaningful” mitigating factors and that he was unable to find “much, if any” genuine remorse.