A TEENAGER sobbed as he was locked up for robbing two young boys of their mobile phones.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took the phones from a group of lads as they played in Grove Park, Rayleigh.

The boy from Shoebury had already pleaded guilty to robbing two 12-year-olds boys of their mobile phones and stealing another phone from a third boy of the same age. Prosecuting Sam Rapp said at Southend Youth Court yesterday, the boy has been turned into the police by his parents after they read about the robbery in the Echo.

She said the group of three 12-year-olds were playing in the park when they were approached by four older boys in October.

Miss Rapp added: “The older boys asked for directions to the train station. One of the boys took out his iPhone for a map. As he did his phone was taken away.

“He then went to another boy and pushed his arm away from his pocket and held it away while he took his phone out.”

Victim statements were read out in court, with one boy saying he was too scared to go back to the park after the incident.

Defending, Gavin Burrell said: “There has been no threats of violence. No weapons had been used. The only violence was pushing someone off a bike.”

The teenager was handed a six month detention and training order, half of which will serve be served in custody.

Chairman of the bench Bob Caccavale said the boy would have to go into custody for the protection of the public.

He said: “We have no alternative to impose a custodial sentence.

“We have given you some credit for your guilty plea and we have kept this to a minimum.

“You said there was no violence involved. These were three 12-year-old boys. Your sheer presence is enough to be violent in itself.”

A 16-year-old accomplice also from Shoebury was handed a nine-month referral order for his part in the robbery at an earlier hearing.

This means he has to work with the youth offending team in Southend to try and transform his behaviour.