A 12-year-old schoolboy robbed two shops and mugged a man at KNIFEPOINT during a five month crime spree.
He stole cigarettes and alcohol when he ransacked a corner shop with a gang of three friends.
During a raid at Londis in Dagenham, east London, the young thug leapt over the counter to grab cigarettes before he punched the shopkeeper while other kids hit him with a bottle and threw a shop sign at him.
Inside the store on November 17, the gang stole a drink from the fridge and grabbed bags of sweets but as the shopkeeper tried to throw the kids out they beat him up and left him lying helpless on the pavement.
Less than a month earlier on October 23 the gang had targeted another convenience store, A1 Cash and Carry, nearby.
In June the thug also pulled a flick-knife on a man with the intent to rob his mobile phone.
After the victim snatched his phone back the thug brandished the knife before making off with his Oyster card.
The boy was later tracked down by police who charged him with three counts of robbery and one to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
The boy, now 13, was handed a six month detention order for each charge, to run concurrently at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court.
His mum, who also appeared in court, was also ordered to pay £100 in compensation plus £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
The Judge also ordered the lad to forfeit his knife for it to be destroyed.
