A 21-YEAR-old Colne man who subjected a schoolboy to a terrifying robbery has been jailed.

Mark McConnell forced his 13-year-old victim and a friend to a secluded spot before threatening them and forcing the youngster to hand over cash.

McConnell, of Glenroy Avenue, appeared at Preston Crown Court yesterday but pleaded guilty on the day his trial was due to start.

He admitted robbing the boy of £4.75 on March 19 this year.

Police today told how the victim and a friend were walking near the Matalan store on the North Valley Retail Park in Colne at about 8.20pm when they were approached by McConnell.

He forced them to walk with him behind the store where he robbed one of the boys of cash.

After the robbery the youngsters called the police and McConnell was arrested a short time afterwards.

McConnell was also to be dealt with for deferred sentence for burgling a property on Milton Road, Colne, on September 23 last year.

He was sentenced to two and a half years for the robbery and must serve an additional nine months for the burglary.

An order was made prohibiting the identification of the boy.