Boy, 14, locked up for ‘potato peeler’ robbery

The 14-year-old youth wore a bandana and armed himself with his mother’s potato peeler before threatening to ‘cut up’ one victim during a robbery in Thornbury near Leeds.

Bradford Crown Court heard the young thug stole his 14-year-old victim’s Playstation games and mobile phone during the robbery in June.

He was on bail at the time for an attempted robbery and another street robbery on the same day in May.

During the robbery in May, the boy had again been wearing the bandana and had punched a 19-year-old man in the jaw.

The boy, who cannot be identified, admitted two charges of robbery, one of attempted robbery and possessing a bladed article. Sentencing the boy to an 18-month detention and training order, Judge David Hatton QC told him: “The offences in my judgement are so serious that only custody is appropriate, notwithstanding your tender age. I would not be fulfilling my duty if I sentenced you to any sentence other than a custodial one.”