A TEENAGER took a kitchen knife to his friend of 10 years in a desperate and needless attempt to steal his money and phone.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was walking with the family friend in an alleyway when he pushed him against a fence and brandished a knife towards his chest.

The Caversham boy made off with an expensive iPhone 7 Plus, cigarettes and spare change, before ditching a rucksack containing the knife and some cannabis.

Officers arrested the youngster after he was seen riding an unlicensed moped without insurance and the bag was recovered, but the phone has not been found.

Judge Alexia Durran, sentencing at Reading Crown Court on Thursday, September 21, decided to hand out a Youth Rehabilitation Order after describing the offences as 'serious' and 'needless'.

She also raised concerns about his history of drug use and suggested he could receive retrospective punishment for failing to comply with a Supervision Order.

"You are at the top of a very slippery slope," she explained.

"If you do not complete all the requirements, like it says on the Monopoly board, you will go directly to jail.

"This is someone who you had known for many years. He thought he could trust you and you broke that trust when you took a knife to him.

"He was understandably terrified and he has since been very nervous about leaving his home."

Sam Shurey, prosecuting, told the court the victim had been his friend for 10 years and how they had grown up together on the estate.

He added: "They were having a conversation and then [the defendant] dropped back and started checking his phone.

"The victim felt a hand on his shoulder and he was pushed against the fence.

"He saw that he was carrying a five-inch kitchen knife in his right hand and was angling it towards his chest."

The teenager admitted to robbery, possession of a bladed article in public, possession of cannabis and driving an unlicensed vehicle without insurance.

He was sentenced to a two-year Youth Rehabilitation Order and will be subject to electronic tagging, 30 hours of unpaid work and six sessions of rehabilitation for knife crime.

Clare Evans, mitigating, said he was struggling to come to terms with what he had done and said there was no planning or motivation behind it.

She explained: "He is financially comfortable. There is no suggestion that he would need to commit these offences.

"He is incredibly sorry for what he has done and he desperately wants to make amends."

A forfeiture order was made for the destruction of the knife and cannabis.