Lymington 14-year-old robbed girl at knifepoint and was armed with plug in a sock, Southampton Crown Court hears

A 14-year-old robbed a girl at knifepoint and was later found armed with a plug in a sock, a court has heard.

The Lymington teen, who is now 15 and cannot be named for legal reasons, committed the robbery on 23rd March at around 7.30pm after his victim had visited Tesco in the town.

Prosecutor Andrew Coley told Southampton Crown Court that on the night of the robbery the boy was recognised by the victim, as they went to the same school.

She was walking in an alley known as Angel Yard, he said, when she spotted him and decided to take a different route home.

After catching up with her, he asked the girl if she had the time before demanding her phone. When she tried to walk away, he followed on his bicycle, produced a knife and made a “stabbing motion” in her direction, prompting her to hand it over.

The following day, police were called to the defendant’s home after people gathered at the property in revenge for the incident, the court heard.

The teen, who armed himself with a plug in a sock, was later detained by officers in Marsh Road.

A knife was later seized from his home.

He gave a no-comment interview after being arrested on suspicion of possessing a weapon and robbery.

The court heard the youth had previous 12 convictions relating to weapons, which Mr Coley said showed “a regular pattern pattern of possessing weapons and knives on many occasions”.

Defending, Aleks Lloyd told the court his client had been “failed by every single adult in his life” and suffered “adverse childhood experiences”.

The offending over an 18-month period was “quite plainly” due to unresolved and difficult emotions”, he said. “To simply consign him to a period of imprisonment is to write him off.”

He urged Judge Christopher Parker KC to instead impose a rehabilitation order with intensive supervision.

He added: “He has the opportunity to change, and he is getting help – no doubt because of his offending, he had climbed the tree of need. He is a bright young man who can see the opportunities ahead.”

Handing him a custodial order – of which he will serve half – Judge Parker KC said: “You have gone completely off the rails. I have read and heard all about you, and it makes for a very troubled history.

“You came across another teenager and robbed her at knifepoint using a very dangerous weapon, which can cause serious disfigurement, injury or death in a matter of seconds. You only have to think for a moment how frightened she must have been.

“If an adult carried out a robbery like that, they would receive a sentence of six to seven years.”

Turning to his sentence, he said: “You will think this is heartless and cruel, but it is intended to give you stability to help you sort your life out. A detention and training order will not just punish you, but give you a reset and protect the public.

“I have every belief that if you were released you would commit another offence within days – I want you to break that cycle.

“If you come back again for another violent or weapons offence, the sentence you receive will be measured in years, not months.”