Teenager threatened Leeds schoolboy with axe then stole his £8,000 Rolex watch

Kaiden William was locked up for 32 months after a court heard he committed the offence after being granted his freedom despite committing a series of terrifying knifepoint robberies.

Leeds Crown Court heard William, 18, and two others targeted the victim when he got on a bus on The Headrow in Leeds city centre on May 13 this year.

The three attackers followed the victim when he got off the bus on Upper Wortley Road.

The youngster was stopped near to his home and ordered to hand over his valuables.

William, who was just just four days away from his eighteenth birthday at the time, threatened him with an axe during the robbery.

They also took his earphones, a Gucci belt and a bag containing trainers and t-shirts which he had just bought.

Police were contacted and went to the home of one of the robbers as the victim recognised him from school.

William was also at the property and was arrested.

His home was searched and police found an axe sheath. A small amount of cannabis was also recovered.

William, of Westbourne Street, Beeston, Leeds, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a bladed article and possession of cannabis.

At the time of the offence he was the subject of a youth referral order imposed for three serious offences of robbery carried out in 2017, committed when he was aged 16.

The offences included a robbery on Woodhouse Square when a man had a knife pointed at his stomach and was ordered to hand over his bank card and PIN number.

A second victim was robbed of a mobile phone, passport and wallet on Gledhow Park Drive.

The third victim had a kitchen knife pointed to his chest on Roundhay Road as he was robbed of a mobile phone.

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Judge Tom Bayliss, QC, told William he had to sentence him as if he were a youth as the offence took place when he was still 17.

The judge said the length of sentence would have been much longer were he being sentenced as an adult offender.

He said "You are wasting your life I'm afraid.

"You are a talented sportsman and have gifts that could be put to good use.

"You are not putting them to any use at the moment.

"It is difficult to express how serious the courts view the use of a bladed article and the danger which that brings to members of the public.

"You were out on the streets of Leeds with an axe. This was group activity.

"You were the one with the weapon. All of that when you were supposed to be complying with the court order designed to stop you from offending.

"Nothing but a substantial custodial sentence can be justified."