A robber who mugged two people at knifepoint within a week has been jailed for four years.

Daniel Coxhead, 25, first targeted a man who had given him some pizza to eat as he made his way home from a night out in town.

A few days later, the Coxhead followed a man from the train station before launching a violent attack when he held the knife to his victim’s throat.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the first offence took place on Tuesday, March 9.

She said the victim was making his way home at about midnight and sat on a bench in Fleet Street with a pizza he had just bought.

After being approached by two men who asked him for some he gave them each a slice and then set off to catch a bus.

But when he found he had missed the last bus, he was aware that the two men were standing close to him.

Coxhead said to him: “Give me all the money on you now” and pointed a small kitchen knife at him.

He handed over a £10 note from his wallet while the second man was threatened as well, searched his pockets but could not find any money.

The second offence took place on Monday, March 15, when the victim arrived by train shortly before midnight and he was confronted by two men asking for a cigarette.

He said he did not have a cigarette and carried on walking, but realised he was being followed by the men, one of whom then grabbed him.

Coxhead then threatened to use the knife on him if he did not hand over everything he had.

At the time he was holding a kitchen knife with a three-inch blade and then pushed the man against a wall with a clenched fist as he tried to fight him off.

Coxhead held the knife to his throat and took £3 from his victim’s wallet.

Police arrested Coxhead soon afterwards as a result of a description from the victim.

He told police he had spent his benefit money on drink, had not eaten for three days and wanted the money for food.

Coxhead, of Beatrice Street, Gorse Hill, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and asked for a burglary offence to be taken into consideration.

Rob Ross, defending, said his client accepted he was facing a lengthy jail term for what he had done. He said Coxhead had a drink problem, smoked too much cannabis and realised he had to deal with his addictive personality.

Mr Ross said Coxhead was the only man being punished for the offences, though he accepted he was the ringleader of the two.

Jailing him, Judge Euan Ambrose said: “Street robbery is a serious crime; street robbery with a knife is particularly serious.

“It is terrifying for those people who are confronted by someone at night with a knife demanding money. They don’t know if they are going to be stabbed, they don’t know what is about to happen to them but they are extremely scared.”