York thug jailed for attempted robbery near Spar store

Armed police were called out to deal with Leon Savastio in the incident in Turner Close and Huntington Road, said David Ward, prosecuting.

The 29-year-old thug pulled out a baton, extended it and swung it at a man who had been sitting on grass just after noon, said David Ward, prosecuting.

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He demanded money from the victim who managed to run and hide under a bush by the nearby Spar convenience store while he phoned police. He had minor injuries.

Armed officers arrived, threatened to taser Savastio and put him to the ground where he was arrested.

It was the third time he had been involved in serious street violence in York.

He had previously been jailed for attacking a man sitting outside a city centre pub without warning, causing brain injuries, and breaking the jaw of a third man, who had declined to give him a cigarette, and he has other convictions for violence.

Released on bail after the incident in Turner Close, he was caught by police carrying an axe in a West Yorkshire street.

Savastio, formerly of York, pleaded guilty on the day he was due to stand trial to attempted robbery and two offences of carrying an offensive weapon in public.

“You have a worrying record, really worrying,” the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, told him at York Crown Court.

Of the attempted robbery, he said: “It was very close to the full offence. The only reason why you didn’t actually get the money was the resilience of the victim.”

He jailed Savastio for four years and four months.

Defence barrister Felicity Hemlin said Savastio had long-standing issues with cocaine and alcohol but had changed since October 2025. 

He was supported by family members and friends and had moved to North Nottinghamshire away from York.

His mother insisted on him taking weekly drug tests and he had been clean for 25 weeks.

“He is a different man now,” she said. “He doesn’t want to go back to prison and get involved in the lifestyle he was in.”

The judge said he was sceptical that Savastio had changed because he had denied the offences until the day he was due to stand trial.