Teenage yob on bail for robbery kicked in single mum's front door
A teenage tearaway kicked in the front door of a single mother's flat and stole her TV while on bail for robbing two 12-year-old boys at knifepoint.
The 16-year-old and another 17-year-old robbed their young victims as they cycled back from McDonalds in Oldbury. The 16-year-old brandished a knife while his co-accused had a knuckle duster in his pocket and each snatched a bike from the boys at around 7pm on March 3.
A person living nearby alerted police, who arrested the teenage robbers and recovered the stolen bicycles, said Mr Geoffrey Dann, prosecuting at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
A month later, the 16-year-old and Daniel Nash, aged 18, broke into the flat of a single mother at Addenbrooke Court in South Bank Road, Old Hill and stole a television. She returned to find the front door 'hanging off its hinges'.
CCTV showed the pair put the TV into a car before leaving the scene in the vehicle with a third person at the wheel. They were arrested soon afterwards.
The 16-year-old, who had previous convictions for burglary and possession of cocaine, admitted robbery and burglary and was given an 18-month youth intervention order with intensive supervision and surveillance. He cannot be named due to his age.
Judge Peter Barrie told him: "I could have you detained for two years but the policy of the courts is to lead, cajole and threaten young people like you into a life of work where you do not commit offences rather than facing longer and longer sentences."
Nash from Oldbury Road, Rowley Regis, admitted burglary and received six months detention in a Young Offenders Institution suspended for 12 months. The 17-year-old admitted robbery and was given a 12-month referral order.
