Man who robbed children at knifepoint in Peterborough has been jailed for 11 years

Police say that Ishaan Jha (19) travelled to Peterborough from Nottingham specifically to carry out the offences, which happened over the course of three weeks.

At a trial at Cambridge Crown Court in September, Ishaan Jha, of no fixed address, denied four counts of robbery, two counts of being in possession of a knife, and one count of attempted robbery but was found guilty on all counts.

He was jailed for 11 years at the same court on December 19.

A Cambridgeshire police spokesperson said: “Ishaan Jha approached a group of young people at the Bushfield Centre, in Orton Goldhay, on February 7, and forced a 12-year-old boy to hand over his mobile phone by threatening him with a knife.

"Jha returned to the centre on February 21 and approached a 16-year-old boy, forcing him to hand over his phone and air pods, again threatening him with a knife.

“Then, on February 28, Jha was among a group of men who approached two boys and a girl aged 13, 14, and 15, at Bushfield Centre in Orton Goldhay, and assaulted them before stealing two e-scooters.”

The spokesperson said officers identified Jha through CCTV and used phone data to track his movements, coming into Peterborough and heading back to Nottingham following the robberies.

Afterwards, DC Matt Reed, who investigated, 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.”