Robber marched teenager to cash machine (From The Bolton News)

Robber marched teenager to cash machine

8:43am Saturday 5th January 2013 in News

A TEENAGER was marched to a cash machine by a robber who threatened to stab him in the back with a meat cleaver, a court heard.

Aaron Booth, who has an extensive criminal record, was sentenced to four years in jail with a three-year extended period on licence for public protection, at Bolton Crown Court yesterday.

Jennifer Birch, prosecuting, told Recorder Craig Osborne how, in the early hours of November 9, the 17-year-old student was walking from his father’s house along Chorley Old Road and stopped at the Spar shop to withdraw £10 from his account.

The teenager bought some items, but as he left the shop he noticed Booth, smoking a cigarette and watching him.

As the victim walked up Avenue Street, Booth circled him on a bicycle before grabbing his jumper and producing a 6in bladed knife.

Ms Birch said the defendant told him if police went past then he was going to put the knife in the victim’s back.

The terrified victim was taken to a cash machine at a nearby post office and made to enter his card PIN to prove no money was in his account.

Booth, aged 27, of Elmwood Grove, Bolton, took the teenager back along Avenue Street, but the victim managed to run off.

A police officer later identified Booth, who pleaded guilty to one charge of robbery, from CCTV footage.

The victim said, in a statement, “I have never been so scared in my life”, adding that he was terrified Booth would catch him when he ran away.

“I have no doubt he would have stabbed me,” he said.

Ann Deakin, defending, said Booth had taken drugs and had no recollection of the offence. She added that he is in danger of becoming institutionalised because he has spent so long in prison.

“This is a young man that, from a very early age, has spent very little time in the outside world,” she said.