A Brighton teenager has been jailed for four years for carrying out five armed robberies in six days.
James Brown, 18, of Dyke Road, Brighton, admitted the charges which involved going up to people from behind and threatening to stab them.
A week before the first robbery he had been given a suspended eight-week sentence for car crime which he must now serve on top of the four-year sentence for the robberies.
He had not long been freed after serving a sentence imposed in April last year for robbery and having a knife.
Brown carried out the five robberies from Thursday 27 January to Tuesday 1 February in Station Street, New Dorset Street, St Nicholas Road and Pelham Street, Brighton, and Hove Park Villas, Hove.
He wore a hooded top and hid his face with a scarf as he took his victims’ cash and phones, a wallet and a purse.
A 17-year-old boy from Brighton handled some of the stolen goods and was cautioned by Sussex Police.
Brown pleaded guilty to five charges of robbery and five charges of having a knife at a hearing on Friday 3 June.
Recorder James Dingemans ordered Brown to be detained at a sentencing hearing at Lewes Crown Court on Friday (22 July).
He sentenced him to four years for each of the robberies and two years for each of the knife offences. All the sentences will be served concurrently.
The judge ordered Brown to serve his suspended sentence, giving him a total sentence of four years and eight months at a young offender institution.
