Teenager forced robbery victim, 15, to kiss his shoes

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that Thomas Rose, 18, already had an 'appalling record of offending' when he struck twice in the space of two days in and around Dudley bus station in March.

Rose, of Sidwick Crescent, Ettingshall, had chalked up 11 convictions for 24 offences over a four-year period before he robbed a 15-year-old he had threatened to stab on March 21.

In a second incident the following day, Rose brandished a knife when he robbed a 17-year-old youth of his mobile phone.

Miss Fiona Cortese, prosecuting, said the first victim was with his girlfriend at the bus station when he was approached by Rose.

The victim fled the scene but was found by Rose hiding behind Dudley Casino on Castle Hill, she continued. The court heard that Rose threatened to stab the youth, who subsequently gave up £3 and a mobile phone and was forced to kiss Rose's shoes.

Father-of-one Rose - who has another child on the way - struck again at the bus station the following day, this time holding up a 17-year-old youth at knifepoint and making off with his phone.

The court was told that both victims had been left scared to leave their homes following the incidents. The 15-year-old was said to have thought he was going to get stabbed, while the other boy said he feared getting robbed at knifepoint again in future.

Rose was arrested after he had been spotted by police on CCTV taken from the bus station. He was later picked out by both victims in an ID parade.

Mr Christopher O'Gorman, defending, said: "He has had a turbulent upbringing, to say the least. He has accrued the sort of record of offending for someone 10 years older than him.

"The reality is that the time has come now, with his partner expecting his second child, for him to realise that if he wants to spend any time with his children he's going to have to change his ways.

"He is sick of being in prison and going further down the road of becoming institutionalised."

Rose admitted two counts of robbery.

Sending him to a Young Offenders Institution for 56 months, Judge Amjad Nawaz told him: "You have a record for your tender years that is bordering on deplorable.

"You have had custodial sentences and community based sentences in the past and you have re-offended as soon as you have been released. There is still time for you to change."