Knife threat teenager sentenced

A teenager who threatened to cut off a security guard's nose has been sent to a young offenders' centre for four years.

Darren Smith used his "commando-style" knife to rob shopkeeper Margaret Barclay at the One-Stop store in Sinfin Lane on 17 December last year.

Smith then held the knife to the security guard's nose on his way out.

But the 19-year-old was arrested at his home in Caxton Street in the city just hours later after his crime was captured by security cameras.

Guilty plea

Andrew Easteal, prosecuting, told Derby Crown Court how Smith produced the knife as Miss Barclay was pricing cans of beer he had taken to the counter.

She was terrified as he brushed the blade against her hand and handed over a quantity of cash from the till, some cigarettes and a bottle of vodka.

After the raid, which happened 11 at night, police discovered the knife in a nearby bush.

Passing sentence, Judge David Chinery told the teenager he had committed an "unpleasant" crime that must have had an effect on his victims.