A 17-year-old robbed another boy of his mountain bike after lifting his shirt to show he had a machete stuffed down his trousers.

The Swindon teenager, who cannot be named as he is under 18, was said to have threatened three 15-year-olds in the playing fields behind Grange leisure centre on August 31 last year. 

He is understood to have lifted his shirt and flashed the handle of a machete, which was stuffed down his trousers, then said he would stab them if they approached him. He then made off on one of the boy’s Voodoo mountain bikes. 

Appearing before Swindon Crown Court, the boy pleaded guilty to robbery, assault causing actual bodily harm and threatening another with a knife. 

Judge Jason Taylor QC bailed him and ordered psychiatric and pre-sentence reports. He will be sentenced on March 9. 

The judge warned: “You know it’s serious and even though you’re a young man the court will have to make some very serious decisions about you.”