A YOUTH has been sentenced by the courts for a terrifying robbery involving a knife.

After stealing items from the victim, he then selfishly used her bank cards for his own pleasure, including in McDonald's.

The 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named or identified due to his age, appeared recently before Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens Magistrates’ Court, having been charged with robbery, possession of a knife in public and two counts of fraud by false representation.

Having admitted those, he also pleaded guilty to another indictment containing charges of driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

The court heard from Angela Conlan, representing the prosecution, who explained during the sentencing hearing how the defendant fell to be sentenced for two separate incidents.

The first occurred on August 19 last year, when the boy was stopped by police while driving a silver Vauxhall Corse on Cannon Street in Clock Face, St Helens.

Checks and his age revealed that he was driving the vehicle without a licence, and in turn, without insurance.

The more serious matters however occurred in Liverpool on February 16 this year.

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The defendant, while in possession of a three-inch blade, robbed a woman of a bag containing Apple air pods, debit cards and cosmetic products of a value unknown.

These bank cards were then used by the youth in the city at venues including McDonald's.

Sentencing, magistrates imposed an 18-month youth rehabilitation order with intensive supervision and surveillance on the boy, who is from Warrington.

A referral order is the community sentence most often used by the courts when dealing with 10 to 17-year-olds, particularly for first time offenders who plead guilty.

They require that an offender must agree a contract of rehabilitative and restorative elements to be completed within the sentence.

Referral orders can include reparation or restitution to the victim, for example, repairing any damage caused or making financial recompense, as well as undertaking a programme of interventions and activities to address their offending behaviour.

In addition, the youth was ordered to abide by an electronically monitored curfew for six months and complete 91 youth rehabilitation requirement days.

His driving record was endorsed with eight penalty points and an order was approved for the forfeiture and destruction of the knife.

Magistrates opted against imposing a restraining order, deeming it ‘not proportionate or necessary for the protection of the victim’ as the incident was deemed isolated and the parties are unknown to each other.

They did however order the defendant to pay compensation of £240 to the robbery victim.