TWO 18-year-olds were robbed separately on a Wrexham estate by a boy of 16 who had a knife, and two other teenagers, a judge heard yesterday.
The 16-year-old was detained for three-and-a-half years when he appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court. A boy of 17 was detained for 22 months.
Kieran McGuinness, 18, of no fixed address, serving a two-year sentence for wounding, was sentenced to two years and 10 months for the new offences.
They admitted two robberies and McGuinness and the 16-year-old also admitted a house burglary at Wrexham earlier the same day.
Elizabeth Bell, prosecuting, said an 18-year-old man was with his three-year-old nephew and got to the Queensway roundabout in Caia Park.
The three defendants stopped in front of him and the youngest asked to use the victim's mobile phone, punched him when he refused, and opened his coat to show a knife in its casing.
The phone was snatched but McGuinness told the boy to return it to the victim who was trying to calm his sobbing nephew.
The 16-year-old then asked if he had any money and stole £5 after searching him.
The 17-year-old grabbed the phone again.
Miss Bell said the second robbery was a short time later in Caia Park and the knife was shown again.
McGuinness demanded an iPod and warned the victim: “Call the police and you are dead.”
The victim received a black eye and a cut when he was was hit by the other defendants.
Philip Tully, for McGuinness, said he was vulnerable and had a difficult upbringing.
He’d been drinking and using ‘substances’ for a long time.
He added: “He says he has very little recollection of the events because of alcohol consumption.”
Paul Abraham, defending the youngest accused, said he had taken the drug MCAT and a large amount of spirits. He now appeared to be showing some maturity and a willingness to engage with those willing to offer him help to address his difficulties.
Judge Merfyn Hughes QC said there had been a degree of gratuitous violence and the presence of a knife and they were under the influence of drink and drugs.