Robber menaced students in city to give him cash

HE PERSUADED VICTIMS TO WITHDRAW MONEY AND THREATENED OTHERS THAT HE HAD A 'SHANK'

- By MARTIN NAYLOR

A SERIAL street robber who targeted students in Nottingham city centre went on to tell the police he was a telecoms engineer who spent £1,000 a week on booze.

Nottingham Crown Court heard how Dylan Spencer told two of his victims he had a knife, forcing them to hand over cash.

Two other victims were approached and talked into handing the 26-year-old money which he promised he would transfer into their accounts online but never did.

And after being arrested, during police questioning he told officers he earned £65,000 a year.

Jailing him for six years, Judge James Sampson said: "As far as your victims were concerned these were knifepoint robberies and they believed they were being threatened with the use of a knife although I accept no knife was used.

"You told your first victim you had a 'shank' and it must have been ter-rifying for him.