A 13-YEAR-OLD who robbed a boy of his bike and was later found with a Stanley knife in his possession has been given a youth rehabilitation order.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took the expensive bike from a teenager in the incident on October 11 last year.

Three days later he was found with a Stanley knife on him which was seen when he used racist abuse towards two boys later that day.

He also admitted a string of other offences from January including sending a threatening social media message to another girl which insulted her disability and obstructing a police officer who tried to remove him from a place he had been banned from.

Nick Barr, prosecuting, told Swindon magistrates the teenager had threatened violence when he robbed a boy of the bike.

“He and a group of boys approached the victim on their bikes. He said to the boy, give me your bike or I’ll smash your face in," said Mr Barr.

"He then made a gesture with his fist as if he was going to punch the boy. The victim thought he might assault him.

“The victim was understandably very scared, he was frightened that something was going to happen to him so he gave him the bike."

Days later the teenager’s mother found a Stanley knife in his room. When she confronted him about the find, he left the home.

“She challenged him about why he had the knife and he left the address with the knife still on him. He then disappeared from the address, with the knife still on him,” said Mr Barr.

Mark Glendenning, defending said the teenager had worked to improve his behaviour since committing the offences.

“He made a full and frank admission of guilt. When these offences were committed he was always in a group of boys, yet he is the only one who has been arrested for this,” he said.

“He is committed to resolving the issues that led up to this. As a young man, he wanted to establish himself but he accepts that it was totally wrong to do this and have that sense of bravado.

“He has worked on this anti-social behaviour. He accepts that his behaviour was stupid and careless. It is a lesson learnt.”

The teenager’s mother said he had made a committed effort to stay out of trouble.

“His behaviour is 100 percent better," she said.

"He isn’t hanging around with that group of boys anymore, he is coming in and staying in and he is not getting into trouble.”

Chairman of the magistrates Simon Wolfensohn warned the teenager not to re-offend, or he will risk the possibility of a young offenders' institution.

He said: “These offences are so serious that we have to impose a youth rehabilitation order. It would be very stupid of you to commit another offence. Don’t let it happen again. For your own sake.

“These are serious matters but I have heard a lot of positive things about you. Therefore we are going to impose a six-month youth rehabilitation order so you will get to take part in some positive activities. You will also pay a £15 victim surcharge.”