A man who committed a knife-point robbery and attempted another in Peterborough city centre has been jailed.

Police say that Hiwa Azari (20) was with two teenage boys when they blocked the path of a man who was riding an e-scooter in the Foundry Walk underpass, near the Lido swimming pool, at about 11pm on August 5, 2024.

A police spokesperson said the group surrounded the man and grabbed the scooter handlebars, before one pulled out a kitchen knife and pointed it at the victim’s stomach, ordering him to walk away.

They took the scooter and hid it nearby.

The Cambridgeshire police spokesperson said that a second robbery took place at about 12.20am on August 6 when a 20-year-old man had been approached by the trio in Cowgate and told to hand over his phone.

“When he refused, one of the group flashed a kitchen knife that was at the front of his trousers, while another tried to remove a gold chain from the victim’s neck.

“The victim was put in a headlock and repeatedly punched and kicked but managed to defend himself and flee.”

Police say that descriptions of the offenders were passed to CCTV operators who spotted them walking along Bridge Street towards Cathedral Square. The group was stopped and arrested.”

Azari, of Huntly Road, Peterborough, admitted robbery, attempted robbery and being in possession of a knife in a public place and was jailed for 42 months at a hearing at Cambridge Crown Court.

The two boys, one from Newcastle and the other from Essex, were handed youth rehabilitation orders in September last year, having admitted the same charges. They were 15 at the time of the offences.

Detective Constable Megan Sims, who investigated, said: “Thankfully no one was seriously injured in these incidents, however, we know knife crime can have devastating effects.

“I would urge anyone who has information about someone who carries a weapon to report it to police.”