A ROBBER armed with a samurai sword who accosted two schoolboys as they walked home after a night out in Redditch has escaped custody at Worcester Crown Court.

David Timmins threatened to cut off the hands of one lad unless he handed over his mobile phone, said Tim Sapwell, prosecuting.

The sword was never unsheathed but Timmins used it to hit the other lad on the arm and also slapped his face.

Timmins, aged 20, of Northfield Close, Redditch, who pleaded guilty(admit) to robbery, was given a 12-month community rehabilitation order and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community.

Recorder Sanghera described the offence as a nasty robbery which involved threats of violence. But he bore in mind that Timmins had been in custody for six months awaiting sentence.

Mr Sapwell said the 16-year-olds were walking to their homes in the Church Hill area at 1.10am in November last year when they became aware they were being followed. Timmins, who had a companion, first demanded a cigarette and cash and then the mobile phone.

When arrested at home by police, Timmins gave an alibi that he had been watching Birmingham playing Blackburn Rovers on TV on the evening of the attack. But it was found that the game had not been played that day.

Timmins had numerous previous convictions but his counsel, Daniel White, said he had only gone off the rails when his friend had been killed while they were at school. He pointed out that no-one had suffered injury during the incident.