This is Staffordshire --ROBBER Daniel Barker terrified two teenage girls by threatening them with a knife in a secluded area of a park.
The 27-year-old was wearing a hoodie when he pulled out the blade and robbed a 14-year-old girl of a tobacco tin and £10 in Hanley Forest Park, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday.
He left the scene but returned and held a knife to a 15-year-old girl's throat. She managed to run away without handing anything over.
Now Barker, pictured, has been jailed for four years.
Prosecutor Wendy Miller said: "The defendant approached the first victim as she walked in Hanley Forest Park. He had a knife, about 11 inches in length. The girl backed off. He pursued her and said, 'Give me your money or I am going to stab you'. She backed away. He held a knife to her neck and she handed over a tobacco tin and cash. They both walked away."
The second victim was with friends in the same park about 90 minutes later when she saw the robber and asked him for a light.
Barker did not acknowledge her and walked past.
But when the teenager stopped to light her cigarette with her own lighter, Barker went up to her.
Miss Miller said: "She thought he was going to pass her a lighter.
"But he got a knife out and held it up to her throat. She describes it being a few inches away from her neck.
"He lunged forward saying, 'Give me all the money you have got'.
"She said, 'I have not got any, please'.
"He said, 'Give me all your money'. But she was able to run away."
The terrified victim saw a police officer on leaving the park and reported the matter immediately.
Police searched the park with a dog and Barker was found hiding behind a tree. Officers also found a knife by the tree.
They had to use CS spray to arrest the defendant.
Barker, of Union Street, Hanley, pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery and possession of a bladed article in public on September 13.
Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said the incidents were out of character for Barker.
He added that the defendant is remorseful and ashamed.
Jailing Barker for four years, Judge David Fletcher said: "The clear aggravating feature is that these were both vulnerable victims.
"This was in a park and no-one else was around.
"It must have been, for both of these girls, terrifying.
"You had a hoodie on and you approached the first victim with a knife and threatened her." Reported by This is 14 hours ago.