Clacton robber Joshua McCorquodale is jailed for his crimes

Joshua McCorquodale, 18, robbed a 14-year-old schoolboy of his phone and shoved a postal worker during his five day spree of attacks in October last year.

Judge David Turner KC said the “crude, spontaneous and unsophisticated” crimes were “frightening, distressing and persistent”.

McCorquodale looked tearful and slammed his chair on the floor after being told he would spend the next two years and three months behind bars at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

Conspiracy to rob - McCorquodale and a co-conspirator targeted people in Pier Avenue, Clacton (Image: Newsquest)

Dingle Clark, prosecuting, said the defendant told his 14-year-old victim “I have a shank, don’t make a scene” as he robbed him of his Samsung mobile phone on October 5.

In the preceding days McCorquodale had attempted to rob a man of his £2,700 bike in Pier Avenue, threatened someone with a knife in Morrisons car park and had shoved a cleaner before taking her phone.

Mr Clark said among the ten victims in total a postal worker was also pushed to the chest but her phone was not taken.

The court heard McCorquodale was patrolling Clacton with a fellow thug, 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, while on push bikes.

Robber - Joshua McCorquodale (Image: Essex Police)

Investigating police officers eventually found three stolen mobile phones in amusement centre Magic City, in Pier Avenue, and charged the duo.

McCorquodale, of Upper Park Road, north west London, admitted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. His partner in crime is yet to be sentenced.

Judge Turner claimed McCorquodale had gained “Dutch courage” from smoking cannabis and that he is a “good boy who made bad choices”.

But the judge said he had “no choice” but to protect the public.

Attacks - Pier Avenue, in Clacton's town centre (Image: Newsquest)

“You cynically targeted people for money and you didn’t do that in your home area, you came to Clacton and did it there,” he added.

“These were complete strangers going about their everyday lives. What you did was frightening, distressing and persistent.”

Sasha Bailey, mitigating, said McCorquodale has been assaulted while on remand at Chelmsford Prison and is concerned for his safety.

She explained her client was acting “out of character” when he committed the crimes due to a family bereavement.