A ROBBER from London threatened to stab a 14-year-old cyclist in the face “to impress a girl and show her how tough he was”.

Diggory Morrell, aged 18, subjected his victim to a terrifying ordeal and got away with just 30 pence, Newport Crown Court heard.

Steven Donoghue, prosecuting, said the robbery took place in a subway near Caerphilly Castle one evening last May.

MORE NEWS

Judge Daniel Williams was told how the victim had been cycling with some of his friends when Morrell attacked him.

Mr Donoghue said: “The defendant was trying to show off to the girl and he was saying how tough he was and how tough it was in London. It was she who pushed him towards the boys.

“He confronted the 14-year-old boy and said to him, ‘I’ve got a knife in my pocket. I will stab you in the face if you don’t give me everything you’ve got.’

“The victim handed him three 10p pieces.”

The court heard how, after the robbery, Morrell told the boy and his friends: “Run off now as fast as you can.”

The victim called the police and officers arrested the defendant who had stayed at the scene with the girl.

Although Morrell had made a threat about being armed with a blade, he didn’t actually have one.

In a victim impact statement, read to the court, the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “I was very scared at the time because I thought he had a knife.”

Morrell, of The Greenway, Uxbridge, pleaded guilty to robbery.

He was a man of previous good character with no convictions recorded against him.

Byron Broadstock, mitigating, told the court: “The defendant is very anxious to express his remorse and to say that his actions were out of character.”

Morrell had spent Christmas behind bars after being remanded in custody.

Judge Williams told him: “You made an ugly threat to stab your victim in the face.”

The defendant was handed a 15-month custodial term in a young offender institution, suspended for 18 months.

Morrell must also carry out 180 hours of unpaid work in the community, complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and pay a £140 victim surcharge.