Two 14-year-old boys have appeared in court and admitted robbing a teen just days after ordering another to bark like a dog while a knife was pointed at him on a Carlisle street.
City magistrates heard how the first incident occurred at the junction of London Road and a side street on August 11 at around 4pm.
The pair initially asked the teen for a vape. They then produced a kitchen knife, pointed it at him and, said prosecutor George Shelley, told him to get on the floor and bark like a dog.
The teen refused and walked away, witnessed by four of his friends. CCTV captured the 14-year-old culprits walking in the area.
Eleven days later, the pair then robbed a different teenager of 71p in the area of Castle Way. They approached and stopped him before taking his money. The teen’s bag was also searched and one robber was seen to have something sticking out of his trousers. “The victim feared it was a knife,” said Mr Shelley.
Nothing was produced and the culprits — neither of whom can be identified because they are under 18 — fled but were again caught on camera.
In court today, both boys admitted a charge of robbery in relation to the second incident; and, following the first, offences of illegal public possession of a knife and threatening another person with a blade.
The case was adjourned and both boys were remanded into secure accommodation by magistrates. They decided against granting bail after hearing submissions from Mr Shelley about a rapid escalation of the boys’ illegal activity.
Both prosecution and the police had real concerns about the significant risk of harm the boys posed to the public.
They will next appear at Carlisle Youth Court on October 13, and will be sentenced for their crimes in due course.
- Magistrates heard one of the boys is already awaiting sentence in relation to a separate offence of illegal knife possession committed earlier this month. He has also been punished previously for unlawful possession of a blade.
