A 12-YEAR-OLD Somalian refugee who took part in the brutal robbery of a gay man in a park was locked up for three years this week.

A gang of five youngsters chased the victim and kicked him repeatedly demanding his wallet and mobile phone, as he made his way home through Finsbury Park.

One even unzipped his trousers and taunted the terrified victim about his sexuality, leaving him to think he would be subjected to male rape.

When caught by police the 12-year-old asked: ''Why are the police protecting a gay man?''

The boy, who comes from Wood Green but cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of robbery and false imprisonment on February 12 last year.

He denied the charges. Two other boys, both 16, who admitted the charges have already been sentenced to three years detention.

Franco Tizano, defending, said that after arriving in the UK at around the age of six to live with an uncle, the boy was abandoned by his relatives at about the age of 11 and forced to commit petty crime to survive.

Sentencing, Judge David Paget told him: ''When I sentenced the other two boys, I said this was a very serious offence.

''It was an attack by the five of you. Mr Edwards was chosen because he was a homosexual and there were remarks made that his attackers considered him fair game.''

Two of the gang were never caught, the court heard.

After convicting him on both counts the jury discovered that the boy has previous convictions for wounding, robbery and handling stolen goods.