A TEENAGE hoodie who robbed two people of their mobile phones at knifepoint has been jailed for three years.

The 17-year-old, who was on a youth rehabilitation order at the time, targeted the men as they walked home from work shortly after midnight.

After approaching the men and asking if they had change for a £20 note the youth, who was supposed to be on a curfew, produced a huge kitchen knife from his body warmer.

He held the blade to the stomach of the first victim and demanded he hand over what he had before also robbing his colleague.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how the men, one a barman and the other a chef, were going home from work on Tuesday, January 31.

As they walked along Pinehurst Road they became aware of two youths standing in a gap in the hedge at the side of the road.

The defendant got the men’s attention saying ‘Oi Bled,’ and then asking if they had change for a ‘20 sheet’.

Saying they did not, the victims carried on walking but were aware one of the youths, who had his hood up, was following them.

He then took the foot long kitchen knife from a pocket in his body warmer and held it to the stomach of one of the men and said ‘Give me your phone’.

Fearing he was going to be stabbed the victim handed over his iPhone and his colleague gave the youth his Nokia mobile phone after being told ‘You give me your phone too, boy’.

As he walked off he made a comment to the men but was arrested soon after and the phones were recovered by the police.

The teenager, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery. The court heard he had a long list of previous convictions including a wounding and robbery.

Rob Ross, defending, said: “He was a young man trying to stand on his own two feet and be an adult when he didn’t have the wherewithal and maturity to do that.”

He said he was almost not caring about what happened to him which was illustrated by the fact that he was still hanging around in the same area soon after when he was arrested.

Earlier in the month he said the lad had been hospitalised after taking 90 paracetamol but even then discharged himself against medical advice.

Jailing him Judge Euan Ambrose said: “I have seen personal statements from both of the victims: as one would expect these offences have had a significant affect on the both of them.

“They are fearful of going out and that is one of the evils of robbery: not only does it have an immediate impact on the victims but it makes others who hear about the robbery fearful of walking about the streets at night.

“The aggravating features are that you had a knife, there was a degree of planning, you had taken the knife with you.”