A TEENAGER has been jailed for four years for robbing two boys of their new bikes at knifepoint

Alicia Jane Sowerby, who is 19, forced a “very young” 11-year-old and a 14-year-old to hand over their bicycles as they were playing with their friends on a public playing field, York Crown Court heard.

In September, the same court heard how she throttled a man, kicked him in the face and gave him a prolonged beating within three weeks of robbing the boys.

Sowerby, of Alder Way, New Earswick, denied two charges of robbery against the boys on May 30 and two of having a knife with her.

But a jury convicted her on all charges after nearly four hours of deliberations.

The Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Batty QC, said: “I don’t accept that she was sorry for these boys one little bit.”

The bikes had been new and valuable to the boys.

“These offences were committed in a park while the boys were simply playing football when you and your friends arrived,” he said.

Sowerby had been high on something. The boys had smelt cannabis on her, but she had claimed she had been drinking, he said.

Although Sowerby didn’t injure anyone with the knife, she had held it in such a way that she had frightened both boys, the court was told.

Judge Batty said she had stashed the stolen bicycles in some long grass so she could return to collect them and sell them.

“One of the boys was 14, the other considerably younger, a very young 11-year-old,” he told her.

By denying the offences she had made both boys and some of their friends have to give evidence.

Sowerby gave no reaction as she was jailed for four years, though she had broken down while giving evidence.

The judge said she was only sorry for herself.

Sowerby’s barrister Rukhshanda Hussain said all her crimes had been committed at a very difficult time for her, combined with drinking alcohol.

“There was a period of time when things were very difficult for her. That is why she committed these offences. Since then she has turned her life round. "

As part of a suspended prison sentence for an offence of actual bodily harm on the man, she had worked on tackling her problems and had been receiving help from a mental health nurse, she added.

Sowerby had also got work at a local butchers.

Sowerby showed little reaction to either the verdicts or the sentence.