Flint teenager Peter Alan Renshaw robbed a schoolboy of his mobile phone at knife-point after trapping him against a wall.

Renshaw, 18, was one of a gang who followed the victim and his friend in Holywell town centre and then produced a knife.

He held it to his terrified victim’s throat, touching just above his Adam’s Apple, and demanded money and the phone.

A judge told him he was out of his senses with alcohol and could have killed the boy.

Renshaw, of Chester Road, Oakenholt, received a three year and two month sentence of youth detention after he admitted robbery on December 2 last year.

Mold Crown Court heard the victim had been unable to concentrate at school after the robbery and did not sit vital exams.

Judge Niclas Parry said Renshaw was responsible for “a serious street robbery” involving a group and a weapon was involved.

His victim, who was only 16, was minding his own business with a friend that evening.

Renshaw, who appeared to be the leader, and his group intimidated them, asked their names and where they were from.

They were un-nerved and did their best to distance themselves, moving away several times.

But the group, now seven strong, followed them and Renshaw ran from the group brandishing a knife.

“You held it with a straight arm at shoulder height towards his throat,” Judge Parry said.

The knife touched just above the Adam’s Apple as he was trapped against a wall.

Renshaw shouted: “Give me your phone and your money.”

After the phone was handed over the victim was then repeatedly punched to the face by another member of the group.

He ended up with a swollen and split lip and other injuries including a mark to the neck.

The knife had been held to his neck a second time.

Judge Parry said Renshaw had admitted he was nine out of 10 on a drunkenness scale.

“You were out of control of your senses, holding that knife. You could have killed him.”

Barrister Brian Treadwell, prosecuting, said the boys went to a nearby shop to get out of the way but when they left the group was waiting for them.

They went to another shop to get out of the way and when they left – 45 minutes after they had first seen the group – the gang was still there was had grown in number.

Renshaw then ran towards one of the boys with a knife, some 20cm long and demanded cash and the phone. The boy handed over his phone but said he had no  money.

He was then punched by another member of the group as he tried to protect himself.

The knife was again brandished as further demands for money were made.

Mr Treadwell said the group was acting together. The victim’s friend rang the police.

The prosecutor said the victim had a swollen and split lip a swollen nose, reddening under the eye and swelling and bruising.

It emerged that Renshaw had sold the phone in a cash-for-goods type shop.

When arrested he denied being involved but was positively picked out during an identification procedure.

In a victim impact statement, the boy said that he had been unable to eat or sleep properly.

He did not like anyone running up behind him.

The victim had difficulty concentrating on his school work and had been unable to sit his A level examinations.

Barrister Mark Connor, defending, said the case clearly crossed the custody threshold.

The robbery happened a year ago, he had been on bail and there had been no further incident.

He had turned his life around, he had adopted a positive and constructive attitude, had been assisted by a drugs counsellor and while he was homeless at the time, he had found accommodation and now had the support of his family.