Two jailed after boy blackmailed over £10 drugs debt in Mid Wales
Two young men from Mid Wales have been locked up after they blackmailed a teenager in an effort to enforce a £10 drugs debt.
Mold Crown Court heard how they made unwarranted demands for money with menaces – one of them held a knife to the victim's neck and he was left petrified by the experience.
Defendant Nathan Bryce, 22, of Pine Court in Newtown, and a 17-year-old youth, had originally been charged with attempted robbery in February.
But their guilty pleas to blackmail, demanding money with menaces, was accepted by the prosecution.
Bryce also admitted possessing a craft knife in a Newtown street.
On Friday, Judge David Hale sent Bryce to prison for 20 months and the youth to a six month detention and training order.
Restraining orders were made not to approach the victim.
The judge said that the offence was serious, making unwarranted demands for money with threats.
It involved a knife being produced by Bryce and threats made to enforce a drugs debt.
In a victim impact statement the boy said that he had been massively affected by the incident and feared repercussions.
He had difficulty sleeping and had moved away for some days and no longer went out to socialise at night.
Prosecuting barrister Paulinus Barnes said that in his basis of plea Bryce said that he only went within a metre or so of the victim with the knife – but that was not accepted. It was accepted that the youth did not have the knife.
The victim was aged 15 at the time and he had been in a flat in the centre of Welshpool.
The victim said that he did not owe him any money. He did owe £10 to another male but said he said he would not be giving them the money.
Police were contacted and the following day both defendants were arrested.
Defending barrister John Hedgecoe, for Bryce, said he was now clean of drugs – at the time he had been spending massive amounts of money on cocaine.
Defending barrister Brett Williamson, for the youth, said that it was accepted that the defendant did not help himself.
He was almost 18 and he would have an almighty shock if he continued to behave as an adult in the way that he had done. He would not be able to cope in prison, he said.
Mr Williamson said that his client had his own vulnerabilities, and the court would be concerned about his attitude, his approach and his commitment to change.
