A 17-year-old who brandished a knife at an employee as he robbed a Carlisle phone shop — moments after committing a copycat crime on the same street — has been sentenced.
The city’s magistrates’ court heard how the teen had gone into the FoneShop just after noon on Tuesday April 7 this year.
A prosecutor told Carlisle Youth Court that, as the teen asked to view an iPhone 17, he lifted his top to show a knife under the waistband.
The teen took the phone outside, where he was confronted by members of staff. The phone was recovered and a punch was thrown by the robber, who headed along English Street.
The teen then visited the Select Apple store, spoke to a female employee and asked about an iPhone 17.
After a phone in a box was produced, the teen took it and walked towards the exit.
As a male staff member tried to prevent the teen from leaving the premises, a knife was produced and brandished by the robber.
A short time later, the teenager was found at the city centre Kings Head pub, on Fisher Street, in possession of the blade.
When brought to court the teenager — who cannot be identified because he is under 18 — admitted robbing two men of iPhones, worth £900 and £999 respectively; and illegal possession of a blade in public.
He accepted brandishing the knife at the second store, the court heard.
A district judge heard the defendant had no offending history.
At the time of his Carlisle crimes, he had been on leave from secure accommodation in Scotland on a day when he had earlier been accompanied by staff.
A defence solicitor said the teenager had no intention of using the knife, and had not thought about the consequences of his actions that day.
He had been diagnosed with a personality disorder.
At his sentence hearing today, the teenager — who has an address in the Glasgow area — was given an eight-month referral order.
A referral order requires that an offender must agree a contract of rehabilitative and restorative elements to be completed within the sentence.
The offender is referred to a panel of two trained community volunteers and a member of the youth offending team.
