A KNIFE-WIELDING robber who stole a man’s phone and wallet at a train station before hopping on a train and heading back to his mum’s house has been jailed.

Leevan Elston, of Rowland Road, Cholsey, had already admitted robbing Christopher Cooper of his mobile phone, cigarettes and a wallet containing cash as well as possessing the knife with a two-to-three-inch blade.

Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing yesterday how the 20-year old had been drinking and had a number of pints that night, before carrying out the armed robbery at Didcot Parkway on October 1.

The court heard that after the robbery, which had left his victim fearing for his safety, Elston got on a train to his mum’s house before falling asleep on her sofa.

In mitigation at the hearing, defence barrister Peter Du Feu said that his client suffered mental health problems and was immature for his age.

He added that Elston was ‘remorseful’ for what he had done that night.

Sentencing, Recorder Ann Mulligan said: “You pleaded guilty to two extremely serious offences, robbery and possession of a bladed article.

“As you are aware young people are walking around with bladed articles and that results in very serious criminal offences and very serious situations.

“There is no doubt that Mr Cooper was terrified by this experience, he also had material on him relating to his work. He had a duty to keep that material safe but you threatened him, told him to empty his pockets.”

Elston was jailed for a total of 18 months, made up of 18 months for robbery and six months for having the bladed article, both sentences to run concurrently with each other.