Robber terrorised teens at city centre skatepark

A YOUNG Nottingham man strangled and threatened to stab teenagers during a series of terrifying robberies at a city centre skatepark.

- By MARTIN NAYLOR

Nottingham Crown Court was told how over a course of just three days, Luke Sugden used the threats on the youngsters in order to force them to hand over their phones and wallets.

In a victim impact statement one of those he targeted told how he "genuinely thought he was going to be stabbed" when Sugden reached for his waistband. Now he has been put behind bars for his callous campaign of criminality.

Sending the 20-year-old to a young offender institution for threeand-a-half years, Recorder David Bedenham KC said: "After carrying out the first two offences, being arrested and bailed, the very next day you went back to the skatepark and terrorised others. One victim you grabbed in a choke hold to the point he thought he was going to lose consciousness.

"You then strangled another victim to the point he passed out and he was left convulsing on the floor. These offences are a worrying escalation."