A teenager who robbed children at knifepoint in Peterborough has been jailed for 11 years after a series of terrifying attacks on young people.
Ishaan Jha, 19, threatened children with a knife as he stole phones, AirPods and e-scooters around the Bushfield Centre in Orton Goldhay earlier this year.
Knifepoint Robberies at Community Hub
The first incident took place on 7 February, when Jha approached a group of young people at the Bushfield Centre and forced a 12-year-old boy to hand over his mobile phone after brandishing a knife.
Just two weeks later, on 21 February, Jha returned to the same location. This time, he targeted a 16-year-old boy, threatening him with a knife and stealing his phone and AirPods.
Group Assault and Stolen E-Scooters
The violence escalated on 28 February when Jha was part of a group of men who confronted two boys and a girl aged 13, 14 and 15 at the centre. The children were assaulted before two e-scooters were stolen.
CCTV and Phone Data Tracked His Movements
Police identified Jha through CCTV footage and used phone data to trace his movements, showing he travelled into Peterborough to carry out the robberies before heading back to Nottingham.
Jha, of no fixed address, denied four counts of robbery, two counts of possession of a knife and one count of attempted robbery. However, following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court in September, he was found guilty on all counts.
“No Regard for the Impact on His Victims”
He was jailed for 11 years at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (19 December).
Detective Constable Matt Reed, who led the investigation, said:
“Jha travelled into Peterborough specifically to commit these offences and had no regard for the impact on his victims.
“It was a harrowing experience for the young victims, and I hope this sentence provides some closure for them and their families.”
