A MASKED TEEN armed with a ten-inch knife left his victims terrified during an offending “spree”.
Billy Broomfield threatened people with a ten-inch kitchen knife during seven incidents on August 27.
While wearing a balaclava he demanded they hand over money or phones, a court heard.
Aged just 17 at the time, he jumped over the counter at a Subway restaurant in Stoneham Way ordering an employee to hand over the keys for the till.
He put his victim in a chokehold and racially abused him before the man was able to escape.
Prosecution barrister, Archie Mackay told how Broomfield then approached another man at Swaythling Train Station and asked for his phone.
The doorman at first laughed at the teen who then pulled out his blade and slashed at his face three times.
Broomfield lunged towards the man who eventually handed over his watch.
Mr Mackay told how Broomfield attempted to rob a woman walking her dog along Monks Way.
When he pulled the knife from his trousers she was left “absolutely terrified” and “ran away screaming for help”. In Mansbridge Road, he held his knife just inches from a woman’s face claiming he had to rob her as he had £60,000 worth of debt.
Finally, in Riverside Park, he threatened a man out walking with his disabled son, wife and two dogs.
He approached them asking for money and flashed “two or three inches of the blade”.
He threatened to cut up the dogs and 17-year-old boy with special needs.
When the police arrived Broomfield threw the knife in the River Itchen.
He spat, swore and hurled abuse at them as they handcuffed him.
He even kicked one officer in the leg during the arrest.
Broomfield, 18, of Bluebell Road appeared at Southampton Crown Court facing nine charges including robbery, attempted robbery, possession of a knife in a public place and assaulting a police officer. He had previously pleaded guilty.
Defending, Keeley Harvey said her client couldn’t recall what had happened or why he did it.
She argued he was under stress and had been taking medication and drinking copious amounts of alcohol because of his lack of coping skills. Ms Harvey said he is ashamed of his behaviour and incredibly remorseful.
Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “What you did was a spree of offending over the course of half-an-hour.”
He sent him to a youth offenders institute for 34 months.
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